Eastern Forktail

These damselflies are the Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis). They are found throughout the Eastern United States as well as parts of Southern Canada. They are very common in Missouri. They are often found basking in the sun on woodland trails. I have them in our backyard garden near our goldfish pond. These seem to be the most plentiful damselfly that I see in our yard. The males and females look entirely different. Both are approximately 1 1/4- 1 1/2 inches in length, but that is where the similarities end. Females are a light grayish-blue with black markings that are usually very faint. In some specimens the black markings may be non-existent. They have pale blue eyespots. Immature females are bright orange with black dorsal and shoulder stripes (picture # 1). The male is a beautiful creature with black thorax and green shoulder stripes and green sides. The abdomen is black with a Bright blue tip. Their eyes are dark above, greenish below and contains a small green eyespot. They feed on small insects, like the male pictured here which is feeding on a syriphid fly. I watched as he slowly flew over the top of the fly, completely unnoticed by the poor victim. In the blink of an eye the damselfly captured his dinner and landed on a nearby leaf and began feeding. The offspring of this species is aquatic like all damselflies. They feed on other aquatic insects. Eastern Forktails prefer small heavily vegetated ponds or other similar bodies of water. Which is probably why they like my yard so much. There is something to be said for overgrown gardens...the insects love them!

Common Spreadwing

This is the Common Spreadwing in the family Lestidae and genus Lestes. They are found throughout most of North America. The ones pictured were photographed near an old pond of ours near our garden. The male was photographed last year, the female (2nd picture) was photographed last night. The shadow image is of a female as well. Like all damselfies they feed on small insects. After mating, the female will lay her eggs in the stem of a plant. She will use her ovipositor to tear into the stem. The eggs will be laid about 3 to 4 inches above the surface of the water along the shoreline. They prefer slow moving brackish water. Much like the old pond of ours where they are so plentiful. You will also find them near marshes, wetlands, and streams. This species typically will hold their wings out in a spread fashion, which gives them their common name. They grow to about 2 1/4 inches, the male is deep gray or black with greenish lines on their thorax, his abdomen is bronze with blue/ gray tip. In more mature males there will be a grayish base to the abdomen. The female is lighter in color than the male with think pale shoulder stripes and light gray/ tan or yellow sides. Her abdomen is bronze/ brown above. They have a very weak flight, they fly readily when disturbed, but land merely a few inches or feet away.

Ebony Jewelwing

These gorgeous damselflies are called the "ebony Jewelwing" (Calopteryx maculate). These are one of the most colorful of all the damselflies, as well as being larger than most of the damselflies we see in this area. The males have iridescent blue or green bodies and jet black wings. The females are a little duller in appearance and have two distinctive white tips on their wings. The first picture above is of a female, notice the little white tip on her wing. The second picture features the male. They reach lengths of up to 3 inches.
Like all damselflies they are predators and prey on other insects. Because of their smaller mouths they typically feed on small insects and small spiders. The larva of this species is aquatic, and they feed on aquatic insects. Look for them in timber edges, usually near a water source. Timber creeks are a great place to find them. These are fairly easy to approach providing you move slowly and quietly. They do not stay in any one place very long and flit about a lot. These are common throughout Missouri as well the Eastern 2/3 of the United States. Many creatures including frogs, birds and spiders will prey on these jewels. In their aquatic stage as nymphs they are preyed upon by turtles, fish and large dragonfly nymphs. Mating occurs in the summer, the male will grab the female behind the neck with his tail (end of his abdomen). After mating, the female will lay her eggs in the soft stems of aquatic plants. The eggs hatch into larvae called naiads. They live an entirely aquatic life until it is time for them to leave their watery bed, they will then crawl out of the water and grab hold of a stem and shed their exoskeleton. Once their wings dry out they will take flight for the first time.