Ebony Jewelwing
Calopteryx maculata males of
Calopteryx maculata, known in North America as a "black -winged damselfly " or "Ebony Jewelwing ", a species of dragonfly in the family Demoiselles is ( Calopterygidae ), which is spread over large parts of North America.
Features
Calopteryx maculata reaches a body length between 40 and 46 millimeters. The body of the male is metallic green, the dark brown of the females without metallic sheen. The wings are black in males without color napkin, with the females dark brown translucent with white spots on the wing tip.
The larvae are light brown with dark brown spots and yellow- brown to orange legs.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution area of Calopteryx maculata extends over large parts of North America. They mainly live on the banks of slow-flowing rivers.
Way of life
Like other members of the genus Calopteryx have the adult Demoiselles a fluttering, butterfly -like flight. They feed on small flying insects, where they prey on aphids. The larvae hunt small underwater insects and their larvae.
The females place their eggs singly in soft plant parts in slow-flowing waters, while males who are in the usually close.
System
Calopteryx maculata represents one of 26 known to date species of the genus Calopteryx