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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Damselflies (Zygoptera) » Narrow-winged Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) » American Bluets (Enallagma)
Photo#240824
Bluet sp with prey - Enallagma - male
Copyright © 2008 iNaturalist

Bluet sp with prey - Enallagma - Male
Ogier Ponds, Santa Clara County, California, USA
June 22, 2008
Size: ~10 mm
The damsel is a mature male Enallagma sp. The five local species of Enallagma are not safely separable except in hand, which requires capture, which I do not do. Given the ratio of blue to black on the abdominal segments (cropped out in this shot) this one is probably either Enallagma carunculatum or E. praevarum. My question concerns the prey item: not a dipterid as I originally suggested... a moth, maybe?
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Contributed by iNaturalist on 19 November, 2008 - 7:07pm
Last updated 8 December, 2008 - 12:05pm

Perhaps prey is a caddis?
The wings appear hairy enough
… Dave Ruiter, 20 November, 2008 - 11:51am login or register to post comments

I'm certainly no expert but....
I'm pretty sure I see spurs on the legs of the prey and based on the "fuzziness" of it I'd bet on a moth rather than a fly. But, like I said, I'm not an expert. Please wait for an expert to give their opinion.
… Sam Houston, 19 November, 2008 - 8:51pm login or register to post comments

 
I would have to agree with Sam...
I see at least three wings (and probably four) which would rule out the possibility of this being Diptera...
… Ron M., 20 November, 2008 - 5:04am login or register to post comments

 
I think it is a good idea...
to make a note when you edit your original caption. Right now, any viewer that looks at this might be thinking that Sam and I have lost it. We both commented to something in your original caption where you suggest that the prey might be a fly. After you edited the caption on the 20th of November at 8:47, that no longer exist.

What I would do is something like...


"bla bla bla original caption bla bla

-EDIT-

bla bla change to caption bla bla"

Just a thought :)
… Ron M., 20 November, 2008 - 1:39pm login or register to post comments

 
Agreed.
What happens sometimes is I get so focused on details while Photoshopping a shot that I overlook the big picture. Of course this insect has four wings and is not a Diptera. Thanks for the input. And the thought.
… iNaturalist, 20 November, 2008 - 3:16pm login or register to post comments

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