Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Sweetflag spreadwing

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Order
  
Odonata

Family
  
Lestidae

Scientific name
  
Lestes forcipatus

Rank
  
Species

Phylum
  
Arthropoda

Suborder
  
Zygoptera

Genus
  
Lestes

Higher classification
  
Lestes

Sweetflag spreadwing odonatabogfootnetimagesodonatesLestesforcipa

Similar
  
Lestes, Damselfly, Odonate, Lestes rectangularis, Elegant spreadwing

Sweetflag spreadwing lestidae lestes forcepatus male on leaf


The sweetflag spreadwing (Lestes forcipatus) is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to North America, especially eastern parts of Canada and the United States.

Contents

Sweetflag spreadwing Lestes forcipatus Sweetflag Spreadwing male

Identification

Sweetflag spreadwing Sweetflag Spreadwing Lestes forcipatus

This is a medium-sized spreadwing, measuring about 38 to 50 millimeters in length. The male has a dark or black thorax with tan or bluish sides and with pale stripes across the shoulders. The abdomen is dark with a light gray tip. The body is pruinescent, especially in older specimens. The female is thicker in build with a dark to black body. Both sexes may have a light brown spot on the underside of the thorax.

This species is difficult to distinguish from the common spreadwing (L. disjunctus).

Biology

This species lives near ponds, marshes, and slow-running streams.

Sweetflag spreadwing Spreadwing Lestes forcipatus

Sweetflag spreadwing Sweetflag Spreadwing Lestes forcipatus

Sweetflag spreadwing Sweetflag Spreadwing Lestes forcipatus

Sweetflag spreadwing Sweetflag spreadwing Wikipedia

References

Sweetflag spreadwing Wikipedia