Species Enallagma vesperum - Vesper Bluet

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Vesper Bluet - Enallagma vesperum - male

Enallagma vesperum? - Enallagma vesperum - male

Vesper bluet Damselflies ??? - Enallagma vesperum - male - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

Suborder Zygoptera (Damselflies)

Family Coenagrionidae (Narrow-winged Damselflies)

Genus Enallagma (American Bluets)

Species vesperum (Vesper Bluet)

Size

32-35 mm

Identification

Male: Bright yellow thorax. Black lateral thoracic stripe is quite thin or may barely be present at all. The abdomen is tipped in blue. Specifically, abdominal segment 10 is blue on the sides, while segment 9 is completely blue. Large green eyespots.

Female. Similar to the male, but with bright yellow replaced by bright green. Abdominal segment 10 is pale blue and segment 9 is pale blue on the sides and dark on the dorsal surface.

Range

New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and the Eastern United States from Maine to Florida and as far west as Colorado and Texas.

Habitat

Preferred habitat includes small lakes with lots of floating vegetation. Occasionally found at slow-moving streams.

Season

Most commonly seen in June through early September.

Food

Tiny flying insects.

Remarks

Its crepuscular habits gave it its common name. Crepuscular habits also mean this attractive species is often overlooked.

Print References

(1)

(2)

Internet References

Odonata of New Jersey Pictures male, female, tandem pair

Dragonflies and Damselflies of West Virginia Several enlarged photos help identification

Works Cited

1.	Damselflies of North America Minter J., Jr Westfall, Michael L. May. 1996. Scientific Pub.

2.	Damselflies of the Northeast Ed Lam. 2004. Biodiversity Books.

Contributed by Stephen_WV on 2 September, 2004 - 7:34am
Last updated 18 October, 2004 - 7:30pm

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