Sweetflag Spreadwing
Encyclopedia
Lestes forcipatus is a species of damselfly
in the family
Lestidae
. This species is commonly known as the sweetflag spreadwing.
Damselfly
Damselflies are insects in the order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be distinguished by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along, and parallel to, the body when at rest...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Lestidae
Lestidae
Lestidae is a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies. They are of the order of the dragonflies and are commonly known as "Spreadwings." There are two subfamilies in Lestdae. The first subfamily is Lestinae. Damselflies in Lestinae rest with their wings partly open...
. This species is commonly known as the sweetflag spreadwing.
Identification
On male sweetflag spreadwings, the thorax is blackish with narrow, faintly colored shoulder stripes and pale tan or blue-gray sides. Its slender abdomen is blackish above and pale below with a pale gray, blunt tip. Its large eyes are a deep blue in color. On female sweetflag spreadwings, the thorax is blackish above with pale shoulder stripes and sides. Her abdomen is more robust than the male and is pale green and brown in color with a brownish, blunt tip. Her large are bluish in color like the male. On both genders the wings are transparent. On both genders, there is a small brown spot on the lower sides of the thorax. The naiad is golden to dark brown in color with stalk like permentum.Habitat
The sweetflag spreadwing is usually found at temporary and permanent ponds, marshy, vegetated ponds of lakes, and slow streams.Diet
The sweetflag spreadwing feeds on insects. Sweetflag spreadwings have weak flight pattern consisting of slow flight in and out of the emergent vegetation.Size
The sweetflag spreadwing is an intermediate sized species of spreadwing. It has an average length of the adult is 1 ½ – 2 inches (38–50 millimeters).Distribution
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