Elegant Spreadwing
Lestes inaequalis Walsh, 1862
Elegant Spreadwing: https://marylandbiodiversity.com/species/36
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67 Records

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Elegant Spreadwing (Lestes inaequalis) is a large, elongate pond spreadwing, widespread in Maryland, but not considered especially common (Richard Orr-Maryland Odonata website). It breeds primarily in well-vegetated ponds and lakes, but also occasionally frequents slow forest streams. The paraprocts are distinctively longer than the cerci in males of this species (Paulson, 2011).

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Source: Wikipedia

Elegant spreadwing

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Family: Lestidae
Genus: Lestes
Species:
L. inaequalis
Binomial name
Lestes inaequalis
Walsh, 1862
Synonyms

Lestes virgo Calvert, 1897

The elegant spreadwing (Lestes inaequalis) is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to eastern North America, including eastern Canada and the United States.[1]

Description

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This species is 45 to 60 millimeters long.[2] The male has a metallic green and yellow thorax and a blue-tipped green abdomen. The body is pruinose, especially in older specimens. The female has a thicker body with duller coloration. This species is similar to the swamp spreadwing (L. vigilax) but larger in size, and to the amber-winged spreadwing (L. eurinus) but without the amber wings.[3]

Biology

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This species lives near freshwater bodies such as streams, lakes, ponds, and marshes.[3] It may live under the canopy in wooded areas.[2]

The elegant spreadwing is known to feed on smaller damselflies.[2]

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  1. ^ NatureServe. 2015. Lestes inaequalis. NatureServe Explorer. Version 7.1. Accessed January 28, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Lestes inaequalis. Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Odonata Central.
  3. ^ a b Lestes inaequalis. Wisconsin Odonata Survey. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.