What do forest giant damselfly eat

Range : southern Ontario to north shore of Georgian Bay, west of Lake Superior but absent from its north shore and from the boreal forest. True Fact : Males are aggressive and chase other species and well as their own. During competitive displays, males will hover face-to-face. This species is a strong flier, and large numbers have been seen flying south, so this species is suspected to be migratory.

Description : fairly small, male with green eyes and striped black and yellow thorax, abdomen becoming blue as it matures and tipped with black; female eyes red but becoming green as it ages, thorax with yellow stripes alternating with black, abdomen with narrow, parallel yellow streaks.

Habitat : ponds, lake bays, marshes, bogs; prefers standing water with aquatic vegetation. Range : southeastern Ontario along St. True Fact : This species often perches with wings held forward and down, often seen on trees.

Both sexes defend small feeding territories away from water. Description : eyes and face dark brown, male with white or powder blue abdomen, each wing with wide black patch near wingtip and narrower black stripe at base, female and immature male have brown abdomen with white or yellow triangular spots along sides, female with three black spots on each wing.

Habitat : almost any standing or slow water body, including ponds and marshes. True Fact : This is a common and widespread dragonfly. Common whitetails often perch on open ground, rocks or logs. They are strongly territorial, and males will elevate abdomens in face to face flight displays. Description : mature males appear overall red and black with white face, small orange patch at base of wings, black, triangular, lateral markings on abdomen; females and immature males similar pattern on abdomen but yellowish to brown face.

Range : throughout Ontario north to James Bay, absent from extreme northwest. The eggs are dropped from above into shallow water or in dry areas that will flood later in fall or spring. Description : male overall red with sharply contrasting black triangular markings on abdomen, light brown or yellowish face; female tan or olive in colour; difficult to distinguish from white-faced meadowhawk in field.

Range : southern Ontario north to southeastern shores of Georgian Bay. True Fact : This species oviposits by dropping eggs into vegetation along water, and also lays eggs directly in water.

Description : male overall red, abdomen with less black than most other meadowhawks, female yellowish with a projecting scoop, the sub genital plate, near the tip of the abdomen visible in side view.

Unlike other adult meadowhawks, this species has yellow or light brown legs. True Fact : This species flies late into autumn, until the first heavy frost.

The females form balls of eggs, which the pair in tandem drop from several centimetres up. Description : hind wings with broad black band near base some suggest they resemble theatre comedy masks facing each other across the abdomen , overall black or dark brown appearance, yellow squarish marks near tip of abdomen, female and immature male show more yellow dorsally on abdomen.

Habitat : shallow open lakes, ponds, ditches with much vegetation, including temporary ponds. Range : southern Ontario to south shore of Georgian Bay and Bruce peninsula. True Fact : This species has a large territory, often exceeding 30 metres along shoreline. As it flies over, the black bands saddlebags can be observed to identify this species.

They are very migratory, often found with green darners in autumn swarms. Description : small, stocky dragonfly with orange legs. The orange-brown abdomen is spindle-shaped with pale narrow rings. True Fact : Often mimics wasps by pumping its abdomen and waving its wings up-and-down. Habitat : often seen perched on the tips of twigs and other vegetation sometimes far from water. True Fact : When perched atop vegetation, the forewings are often held higher than the hindwings.

Butterfly-like flight. This showy group of damselflies possess wide, heavily-veined wings which taper gradually at the base and are not stalked or petioled. The coloured wings, usually black, are held closed or together over the top of their metallic-coloured bodies. On hot days, broadwings are the only damselflies to obelisk by holding their abdomens toward the sun. Description: large damselfly with metallic green body, male has black wings; female has white dot at tip of brownish wings.

Range: throughout southern Ontario, from Lake Superior west to Manitoba south of boreal forest. True fact: in partly shaded places, males perch in sunny locations to be even more obvious. Length: 43 — 59 mm. Description : large damselfly with metallic green body, male has translucent wings with a dark black section at the tip of wing; female, similar to male; translucent brown wings and a white dot at the very tip of the wings.

Habitat : along streams and rivers and nearby forest edge. Flight Season: May to September. Range : throughout Ontario. Description: large damselfly, male has bright red patch at base of wings, female usually with paler orangeish wash at base of wings, male and female with small white spot at tip of wings. True fact: Groups of this species congregate at dusk during emergence of mayflies. Species of this family of damselflies possess stalked, clear wings which are held spread-out and slightly to the side.

Description: rather stocky body, top of thorax and abdomen in male bright metallic green, thorax pale on sides, female duller than male but top of thorax metallic green with pale sides, top of abdomen metallic green. Habitat : shallow ponds and marshes that often dry up in late summer.

True Fact: Like other spreadwings, as their name suggests they perch with wings somewhat outstretched. Description : similar to other spreadwings, female with large ovipositor, only species with tip of ovipositor egg-laying appendage extending to or beyond tip of cerci paired, finger-like appendages or projections at the tip of the abdomen.

Habitat : temporary and permanent ponds, marshy areas, quiet streams. Range : southwestern and eastern Ontario, west of Lake Superior south of boreal forest. True Fact : Eggs laid in incisions in live stems of rushes, cattails, sedges and sweetflag up to a metre or two above shallow water or mud.

Description: long-bodied and slender, abdomen nearly twice as long as wings, thorax with pale shoulder stripes and yellow sides, lack of pruinosity a bluish, greyish or whitish, waxy to powdery bloom on the abdomen at tip of abdomen.

Habitat: shaded ponds or quiet areas of streams, marshy waters. True Fact: This species may emerge in great numbers from some wetlands. Range: throughout most of Southern Ontario to northern part of Great Lakes area. True Fact: Population is severely affected by drought, but is quick to populate newly-flooded areas. Species in this large family are small and brightly coloured.

They possess clear, narrow wings which appeared stalked at the base and which are held closed over the body. Description: male: clear blue, unpatterned thorax separates it from other dancers, blue eyes, abdomen with blue tip; female: usually blue to brown. True Fact: Often perches on ground or low in vegetation, pairs usually lay eggs on floating, horizontal material.

Description: male only damselfly in Ontario with general violet colour, thorax with thin black, forked shoulder stripes and paler sides, abdomen violet with black markings and blue tip; females with brown head, light brown thorax with forked black stripes, brownish abdomen with black stripe. Habitat: small streams, ditches, small ponds with much vegetation.

Description: mature males become whitish, abdomen blackish with paler tip; females have two colour forms polymorphic , either completely brown, or dark blue on head, thorax and tip of abdomen. Habitat: prefers rocky shores of lakes, streams and rivers.

Range: central, south western and south eastern Ontario, west to Manitoba south of boreal forest. True Fact: Pairs or female alone lay eggs on surface or submerged for up to 30 minutes and more than a metre under water, females may eat other damselflies including their own species.

Description: male is distinguished by combination of orange colour on face, greenish thorax with black shoulder stripes, and blue abdomen darker above , fine black stripe on yellow legs;Female pale yellowish green, thorax and abdomen dark above. Habitat: quiet streams and rivers with emergent vegetation along edge, also lakes especially near stream inlets or outlets.

True Fact: Females of this species have been reported to submerge to lay eggs, pairs oviposit along edge of water in vegetation. Length: 26 — 37 mm. Description: c ommonly found in marshes in the north; males eyes blue with black top, blue thorax broadly striped with black, abdomen with black patches approximately equal amount of black and blue ; f emale: may be brown or blue. Habitat: slow streams and rivers, ponds and lakes especially where cattails present.

Flight Season: June to September. True Fact: M ajor predator of mayflies and small flies, may be seen on wing well out over open water.

Length: 28 — 36 mm. Description: m ale has blue eyes with black cap, abdomen predominantly blue with faint dots in blue near tip of abdomen; f emale: may be brown or blue. Habitat: boggy or marshy lakes, ponds and slow stream. Flight Season: May to August. Range: present throughout Ontario, but more common in the north. True Fact: S ometimes are numerous in open areas of forests.

Description: abundant and widespread, mostly blue with fairly thin black humeral stripe on thorax, post-ocular spots behind front of eyes rather large and somewhat triangular, long cerci appendages beyond abdomen visible with good dorsal view; females similar pattern but may be brown or blue.

Habitat: standing or slow-moving water such as ponds or slow streams, also newly-created habitats. True Fact: This species may be extremely abundant at some sites. The males arrive at water and remain in large numbers until late afternoon.

Mating is most frequent around mid-day. During egg-laying, the female backs underwater while the pair is in tandem, but the male releases her before his head submerges, clasping her again when she surfaces. Description: far northern species, both sexes with wide blue shoulder stripes, usually divided into two rectangles and two squares, male with eyes black over blue, alternating blue and black abdomen, female duller than male, may be blue or green.

Habitat: fens, bogs and marshes especially when sphagnum moss is present. Range: northern and north western Ontario, absent from southeastern and southwestern Ontario. True Fact: This species has the most northerly range of the bluets. Copulating pairs of this species often perch in shrubs as high as head height.

Range : Ontario north to southern tip of James Bay, in northwest to Manitoba south of the boreal forest region. True Fact : Males may be found in large numbers perching on shoreline plants or mats of algae, not usually found over open water. Description : slender bluet, usually around streams and rivers, abdomen primarily black with blue near tip, greenish hue on thorax and head, spots behind eyes narrowly connected to form a narrow dumbbell shape. Range : southern Ontario to north shore of Georgian Bay, absent.

Length : 27 — 33 mm. Description : small, common bluet especially in northern areas, postocular spots behind eyes show as a dumbbell shape; male eyes blue with black cap, striped blue and black thorax, abdomen alternates black and blue; female may be light brown, green or blue, eyes light brown or greenish with brown cap.

Similar Species : almost identical to Marsh Bluet, only differ in shape of terminal appendages. Habitat : ponds, marsh-bordered lakes, quiet streams. Range : throughout Ontario south of boreal forest region. True Fact : During egg-laying, like several other bluets the female will submerge, crawling around underwater vegetation. Upon resurfacing, the waiting male or another will re-attach to form a tandem pair again.

Males seem to act as lifeguards, pulling floating females from water for the purpose of mating, of course! Length : 28 — 37 mm. Description : male eyes orange, thorax orange with black stripes, abdomen mostly black with orange rings, female similar pattern but brown eyes and dull yellow to orange in paler areas, young adults may be blue.

Habitat : lakes, ponds, slow streams, and tolerates somewhat polluted areas. Flight Season : June to October. Range : central, south eastern and south western Ontario. Females or even the pair in tandem may submerge during egg-laying for ten to twenty minutes. Description: male thorax is yellowish green with black stripes; yellowish-green abdomen is black on top and ends with a blue and black patterned tip; adult females are a powdery purplish-blue with variable black markings; young females are orange with black markings.

True Fact: This species is one of our most common damselflies. It can be seen quite far from water. Description: male; metallic green above and light blue below; the tip of the abdomen is blue with metallic green spots; female is similar to the male but yellowish underparts and with only a small bit of blue on the tip of the abdomen.

True Fact: In some locations, this tiny damselfly can be very abundant but hard to see amongst the vegetation. Dan Schneider is an interpretive naturalist and outdoor education teacher with the Grand River Conservation Authority. Peter Paulter is an environmental educatation specialists with the Grand River Conservation Authority.

The Blue-winged Helicopter damselfly is a member of the family Pseudostigmatidae, the helicopter damsels and forest giant damsels. They are called helicopter damselflies because their four wings beat independently, and appear to whirl around like the blades of a helicopter.

Helicopter damselflies are only found in tropical regions, and require environments with plenty of rainfall — rainforests are their ideal home. Blue-winged Helicopter damselflies are found in the understorey of tropical rainforests. They do not emerge to cross large clearings, and have poor flight endurance, resting often by perching on a leaf or twig with its abdomen hanging downward. They are most common in mature, old-growth forests and are not commonly found in secondary growth.

Adult Blue-winged Helicopter damsels specialize in plucking spiders from their webs while in flight using their long legs.

They prefer small, soft-bellied spiders that are easier to eat. Blue-winged Helicopter damsels breed in phytotelmata — small pools of water formed in plants such as bromeliads and in tree cavities. Due to its size, it requires water in tree cavities to lay its eggs and provide the habitat for its larvae, called naiads or nymphs, to develop.

Or maybe it was a damselfly. How can you tell the difference? Dragonflies and damselflies are similar, both belonging to the Odonata subspecies of insects. More than 5, species of these insects exist, with dragonflies being more common than damselflies, according to Insect Identification. Both dragonflies and damselflies are typically found near fresh water and are commonly seen during warm, sunny days.

And while they share some physical characteristics, there are four ways you can differentiate between the two, according to Mother Nature Network.

Dragonflies have much larger eyes than damselflies. A dragonfly's eyes take up most of the insect's head, wrapping around to the sides of its head. Damselflies also have large eyes, but they are smaller than a dragonfly's and there is always a space between their eyes. Dragonflies also have thicker, bulkier bodies, while damselfly bodies are thin like a twig. Both dragonflies and damselflies have two sets of wings, but there are some distinct differences in their wings that can help differentiate between the two.

Dragonflies have two sets of similar-sized wings, but the hind wings become more broad at the base, where they attach to the body.