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Home , Argia, Celithemis, Common whitetail, Ebony jewelwing, Familiar bluet, Marsh bluet

Damselflies (Order , Suborder Zygoptera) Damsel y Fly-By ID

Male, © Andrew C; Female, © Greg Schechter; both via Wikimedia Commons © Andrew C via Wikimedia Commons © Carl Strang © Mark Donnelly Blue-Fronted Powdered Familiar Marsh Dancer Dancer Bluet Bluet Blue-Fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis) (Argia moesta) ( civile) (Enallagma ebrium) Small species, found in a variety of still and flowing Similar to A. apicalis. Usually found near flowing Small species, one of the most commonly observed. Almost identical to E. civile, though generally slightly habitats. water. smaller. Males: Primarily light-blue in color. Blue stripe on Males: Primarily blue-black. Abdominal segments Males: Powdery-white thorax and tip of abdomen. thorax. Abdomen has dorsal black spots on Males: Almost indistinguishable from E. civile 8-10 blue. Thorax primarily blue with thin black Thick black shoulder stripe on thorax. segments 3-5. Blue, tear-drop shaped spots behind males. Sometimes slightly more black stripes. Can take on blue-green form. each eye. Cerci are triangular in shape. coloration on abdomen, but not reliably. Females: Pale brown thorax, no distinct stripes. Differentiated by shape of cerci. Females: Brown-olive in color. Abdomen primarily Abdomen black with wide, pale top stripe. Can take Females: Similar in all aspects to males, but are black with narrow pale dorsal stripe. Abdominal multiple color forms. olive or light-brown in color. Females: Similar to E. civile females, but are segment 9 black with tan stripes on sides and top. light-green, not olive, in color. Can take multiple color forms. Stream Eastern Forktail Bluet

Common and Species of DuPage County

© Linda Padera © Carl Strang © Carl Strang Stream Bluet (Enallagma exsulans) American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) Eastern Forktail ( verticalis) Ebony Jewelwing ( maculata) Quick ID Guide Most common Bluet found near streams. Large species often found perched near slow Extremely common throughout North America at Large species often found near streams, distinctive moving streams. both still and flowing water. Both males and females due to black wings. Males: Narrow eye-spots behind eyes, narrow take on multiple color forms. stripes on thorax. Only segment 9 of abdomen is Males: Distinctive dark-red spot on base of Males: Bodies are metallic blue-green, with all black completely blue, other segments are dorsally black each wing. Thorax has metallic red stripe pattern. Males: Green thorax with thick black lateral stripe. wings. and ventrally blue. Abdomen mostly black, final segments blue with Females: Light-red spot near base of wings, less lateral black spots. Females: Bodies are powdery blue-black, with all Females: Pale-green thorax and abdomen, with deeply colored than males. Thorax has similar stripe black wings. Slightly less deeply colored wings than segments 10 blue and 9 mostly blue. pattern as males but is dull brown as opposed to Females: Can be similar in color to males though males. metallic red. with more blue on final abdominal segments. Immature females can be orange, mature females can be mostly grey with no blue. dupageforest.org (Order Odonata, Suborder Anisoptera)

© Mark Donnelly © Mark Donnelly © Carl Strang Common Green Darner (Anax junius) Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) Twelve-Spotted Skimmer ( pulchella) (Celithemis eponina) (Perithemis tenera) Largest IL species, common all season. Often first Large, common all season (May-September). Slightly Medium sized dragonfly, very common near ponds Medium-sized species, commonly perched near Very small species, commonly seen hovering over and last species observed during the season. No smaller than A. junius. and lakes. ponds and lakes. water at ponds. Distinctive due to their small size. wing markings. Males: Black thorax and abdomen. Large, black Males: Distinctive alternating black (3) and white (2) Males: Amber colored wings with brown-rust Males: All wings are solid amber color. Bodies are Males: All-green thorax, light blue abdomen. ‘saddlebag’ patches at the base of each hind wing. patches on all four wings. Each wing has a black tip. colored bands on each wing. Body is a similar generally dull brown or rust colored. Abdomen may appear powdery white or very light brown-rust color. Females: All- green thorax, dull light-brown Females: Black thorax and abdomen, with dorsal blue. Females: Wings have brown-amber colored abdomen. Similar size to males. yellow spots on abdomen. Similar wing markings as Females: Similar wing markings as males, but wings marks as opposed to the solid color seen with male. Females: Similar wing pattern as males, with black are less deeply colored, sometimes yellow. Bodies males. Bodies are a similar brown color as seen in tips, but lacking white patches. Abdomen has lateral also show less and lighter coloration than the males. males. yellow stripes.

© Glenn Perricone

© Carl Strang Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) Calico Pennant () Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) Common Whitetail (Libellula lydia) Small sized dragonfly, commonly perched near ponds Small-medium sized dragonfly, commonly perched Medium-small species. Commonly perched near Medium sized dragonfly, very common near ponds Medium sized dragonfly, very common near ponds and lakes. No wing markings. near ponds and lakes. No wing markings. ponds and lakes. and lakes. and lakes.

Males: Powdery blue abdomen, thorax is black with Males: Powdery blue thorax and abdomen, green Males: All wings have black tips, small black spots, Males: Each wing has large basal black patch and Males: Distinctive powdery-white abdomen. Single light-green lateral stripes. face. and large basal red-black patches on the hind wings. distal white patch. Abdomen appears powdery blue. medial black patch on each wing. Bodies red-black, with dorsal red triangles on the Females: Dull-brown to light-green abdomen, Females: Bright-green thorax and abdomen with abdomen. Females: Same large basal black patches as males, Females: Abdomen has white-yellow lateral ‘triangle’ thorax has light-green lateral stripes. dorsal black stripes on abdomen. lacking (or nearly so) white on wings. Abdomen dark patches. Black tips and patches on each wing, no Females: Similar in all aspects to males, but with with lateral yellow stripes. white. yellow coloring replacing red.