emerald SPREADWING
Emerald Spreadwings are gorgeous damselflies. Their bodies are a beautiful metallic green color, and they gleam like real emeralds in the sunlight.
This is a male Emerald Spreadwing. This species flies in late May and early June. They prefer fishless wetlands which dry up in late summer and fall.
This is a female Emerald Spreadwing. Emeralds are shorter and stouter than most spreadwings, except they are very comparable in size to Sweetflag Spreadwings ... but metallic green!
Emerald Spreadwings are found in both North America and Europe. They are one of very few Ohio odonata species that are found on both continents.
Emerald Spreadwings have short, stout abdomens. They are much shorter than our other green spreadwings (such as Swamp and Amber-winged Spreadwings).
The Emerald Spreadwing at left and above was photographed at Cox Arboretum. I have found a couple of Emerald Spreadwings at Cox, and I have also seen them at the Beavercreek Wildlife Area.
Lateral view of a female Emerald Spreadwing.
Females have beautiful bronze colors in addition to the metallic green.
Female Emerald Spreadwing, lurking in the grass at Cox Arboretum.
Another female Emerald Spreadwing. This spreadwing has her abdomen perfectly aligned with the grass steam. Many spreadwings exhibit this behavior, because it renders them less visible to predators.