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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Damselflies (Zygoptera) » Broad-winged Damselflies (Calopterygidae) » Rubyspots (Hetaerina) » American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)

Species Hetaerina americana - American Rubyspot

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Rubyspot 3, Campbell, CA - Hetaerina americana American Rubyspot - Hetaerina americana Damselfly - Hetaerina americana Jewelwing - Hetaerina americana - male Rubyspot Damselfly - Hetaerina americana - male American Rubyspot with White Eyes - Hetaerina americana damselfly - Hetaerina americana American Rubyspot Damselflies mating - Hetaerina americana - male - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
Suborder Zygoptera (Damselflies)
Family Calopterygidae (Broad-winged Damselflies)
Genus Hetaerina (Rubyspots)
Species americana (American Rubyspot)
Numbers
One of three Nearctic species in the genus
Size
Length 3.8-4.6 cm
Identification
Males striking, unmistakable. Females occur in two forms, with either green or copper-colored marks on thorax.
Range
Among the states, Washington and Idaho lack records of this species. The range continues from the United States south into Mexico. In Canada, these provinces have records: Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick.
Habitat
Streams of various sizes
Season
May-November in mid-Atlantic states, e.g. Virginia
Food
Predatory
Life Cycle
Female oviposits in aquatic vegetation, sometimes submerging herself. Male often guards from above, but not in contact with female.
Print References
Lam, p. 21 (1)
Dunkle (2)
Nikula (3)
Internet References
Odonata Central--Texas
Odonata of the US
NJ Odes
Dragonflies and Damselflies of West Virginia
Works Cited
1.Damselflies of the Northeast
Ed Lam. 2004. Biodiversity Books.
2.Damselflies of Florida, Bermuda, and the Bahamas
Sidney W. Dunkle. 1991. Scientific Publishers.
3.Stokes Beginner's Guide to Dragonflies
Donald and Lillian Stokes. 2002. Little, Brown and Company.
Contributed by Cotinis on 8 March, 2004 - 7:33pm
Additional contributions by Stephen_WV
Last updated 4 July, 2005 - 12:42pm

Not only
streams. (At least here west of Chicago). I find these damsels frequently along the shores of lakes and ponds.
… Bruce Marlin, 20 May, 2007 - 12:28pm

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