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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Damselflies (Zygoptera) » Spreadwings (Lestidae) » Lestes » Amber-winged Spreadwing (Lestes eurinus)
Photo#46462
Mating Spreadwings - Lestes eurinus - male - female
Copyright © 2006 Peter Hollinger

Mating Spreadwings - Lestes eurinus - Male Female
Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont, USA
June 30, 2005
On sedge beside pond. Is this in Lestes? I'm curious about the red things near the top of the legs. Are they part of the damselfly? Or mites??

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Mating Spreadwings - Lestes eurinus - male - female Mating Spreadwings - Lestes eurinus - male Mating Spreadwings - Lestes eurinus - male - female
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Contributed by Peter Hollinger on 1 April, 2006 - 5:49pm
Last updated 14 April, 2006 - 6:47am

moved
TT
… A.W. Thomas, 14 April, 2006 - 6:46am login or register to post comments

Possible Damselfly ID
Since the experts have failed to provide the answer, we cast our vote for Amber-winged Spreadwing (Lestes eurinus). The blue color of the male is not the actual pigment, but is due to pruinescence. This is a sort of bloom that occurs on older individuals of several species. None of our Lestes are blue except as caused by pruinescence. The female exhibits the proper yellow spots on the side of the thorax for this species. The bi-colored eye, blue above and yellow below is also right. Remnants of the original green color of the male may be seen on the in the shoulder area.
Incidentally, the red spots are mites.
Gayle & Jeanell
… Gayle and Jeanell Strickland, 3 April, 2006 - 5:38pm login or register to post comments

 
Yup
I concur. These are the monsters of the northern Damselfly world. Their wings are very tough and remind me of dragonfly wings to the touch.

Kurt
… Kurt Mead, 4 April, 2006 - 11:31pm login or register to post comments

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