Old Blue Eyes, redux

September 29, 2016  •  Leave a Comment

Mystery spreadwing, HenneMystery spreadwing, Henne

It hasn't been a very good year for Spreadwing Damselflies, the members of the odonate suborder Zygoptera whose fore- and hindwings are approximately the same size. Most damsels hold these wings parallel to the body, but the spreadwings around here, all members of the family Lestidae, do something oddball: they hold their wings at a 45 degree angle to the body. This habit makes them easy to spot and ID broadly, and in past years, they've been plentiful in the wetlands I frequent. But for reasons I can't determine, these charmers have been pretty scarce in 2016. Today, however, in a trek around the edges of a dry but still muddy vernal pool at the Henne preserve, I spotted a number of spreadwings, all enjoying the sun. I zeroed in on the bright blue eyes as I dutifully attempted to "capture" the insect from every possible angle and come up with a species... without having to collect the critters. Alas, I discovered at home that collection was going to be a necessity, if I wanted to be sure. If I didn't, this one, based on the fact that it flies later in the year than any of its Lestes relatives, is probably a Spotted Spreadwing. Maybe that's good enough.


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