Sweetflag Spreadwing Lestes forcipatus Rambur, 1842S3 (Watch list)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Odonata   >   Family Lestidae   >   Genus Lestes   

Status:

Sweetflag Spreadwing (Lestes forcipatus) is widespread but uncommon in Maryland (Richard Orr-Odonata website). Like related species, it breeds in ponds and lakes, including boggy habitats. This species is part of a complex of several very similar spreadwings, which also includes Northern Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) and Southern Spreadwing (Lestes forcipatus). Care should be taken to separate from the others, preferably in the hand (Paulson, 2001)(Lam, 2004). This species is ranked as an S3 (watch list) in Maryland.

There are 75 records in the project database.

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A male Sweetflag Spreadwing in Howard Co., Maryland (6/24/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

A male Sweetflag Spreadwing in Howard Co., Maryland (6/24/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

A male Sweetflag Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/15/2008). Sweetflag Spreadwing is on the Maryland state watch list (S3). Photo by Steve Collins. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Kent Co., Maryland (7/24/2020). (c) pcowartrickmanphoto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Pamela Cowart-Rickman. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (10/2/2021). (c) Jason Avery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jason Avery. (MBP list)

A Sweetflag Spreadwing in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/22/2018). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwings in tandem in Howard Co., Maryland (6/24/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Frederick Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) sharonforsyth, all rights reserved. Photo by sharonforsyth via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/23/2023). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Frederick Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) sharonforsyth, all rights reserved. Photo by sharonforsyth via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/23/2023). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) jugbayjs, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by jugbayjs via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/18/2010). (c) Mike Ostrowski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Photo by Mike Ostrowski. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/23/2023). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/23/2023). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Frederick Co., Maryland (8/3/2022). (c) Scot Magnotta, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Scot Magnotta via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Frederick Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) sharonforsyth, all rights reserved. Photo by sharonforsyth via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Frederick Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) sharonforsyth, all rights reserved. Photo by sharonforsyth via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwings mating in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A female Sweetflag Spreadwing in Sussex Co., New Jersey (8/25/2007). Photo by Steve Collins. (MBP list)

Sweetflag Spreadwing in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) aaronr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Aaron via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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