Post update: Which family is it?

The following odonate exuvia is from a damselfly in Suborder Zygoptera.

The overall shape of the prementum (highlighted by a red rectangle) indicates this specimen is from Family Calopterygidae (Broad-winged Damselflies). Notice the embedded raindrop shape (highlighted by a purple rectangle), located toward the upper-center of the prementum — a key field mark for this family.

03 SEP 2022 | Powhatan County, VA USA | (exuvia, ventral side)

Two genera from Family Calopterygidae are common in the Commonwealth of Virginia: Hetaerina; and Calopteryx. For species in Genus Calopteryx the raindrop shape (Fig. 19) looks more like a diamond shape (Fig. 18), so it’s probably safe to infer this specimen is a species in Genus Hetaerina.

Identification Manual for the Damselfly Nymphs of Florida, p. 13

Related Resources

• Which family is it? – a blog post by Walter Sanford
• Identification Manual for the Damselfly Nymphs (Zygoptera) of Florida, by Johnny S. Richardson

Post Update: Congratulations to Doug Mills, Wally Jones, and Bob Perkins for correctly identifying the family of this exuvia.

Doug and Wally looked at the shape of the prementum. Bob looked at the antennae.

The long middle segment on the antennae is the key, found only on Calopterygidae nymphs. Nymphs of the other families have antenna segments that are progressively shorter from base to tip. Source Credit: Bob Perkins.

Looking at the prementum should enable you to identify all three families; looking at antennae works for only one family.

Copyright © 2022 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

5x magnification

What does 5x magnification look like?

The following photos are test shots that were taken using an AmScope 4x microscope objective mounted on my Fujifilm X-T3 digital camera with a plastic lens adapter designed and 3-D printed by Nicholas Sherlock. The actual magnification of the “lens” is between 4x and 5x due to the design of the adapter. The aperture of the lens is fixed, somewhere between f/4 and f/5.

All of the photos …

• were shot handheld (not recommended for this camera rig), except for the last two that were shot using a tripod. A single external flash unit was used to light each photo.
• are “one-offs,” meaning they aren’t focus-stacked. At a magnification of 5x the depth of field is extremely shallow. The net result is little of each photo will appear to be acceptably in focus.
• are “full frame” (6240 × 4160 pixels), meaning they are uncropped.
• are unedited JPG files, straight out of the camera.

The first photo shows a small part of a “granite” countertop. The word granite appears in quotes because the countertop might be made of some type of synthetic material.

The next photo shows the left eye of the “Made in the Shade” toy monkey, one of my favorite studio models.

The following photo shows part of a Metro SmartTrip fare card.

The next two photos show a penny, that is, a 1-cent coin in U.S. currency.

The next photo shows the last two digits of a 1996 quarter, that is, a 25-cent coin in U.S. currency.

The last two photos show part of an exuvia from Family Calopterygidae (Broad-winged Damselflies). The ventral side of the head is shown in both photos. The first photo is focused on the eye; the second photo is focused on the prementum.

The specimen was collected by Cindy Haddon Andrews on 03 September 2022 along the James River, near the Maidens Boat Landing in Powhatan County, Virginia USA.

Tech Tips

I talked about “manual” and “automatic” lens adapters in my last blog post. In order to use a manual lens adapter such as either my Laowa EOS-FX or the plastic adapter designed by Nick Sherlock, my Fujifilm X-T3 digital camera must be set so that “Shoot Without Lens” is on. This enables shutter release when the camera “thinks” no lens is attached.

Press the “Menu/OK” button / select SET UP (wrench icon located in the left sidebar) / choose BUTTON/DIAL SETTING / select SHOOT WITHOUT LENS (ON).

Copyright © 2022 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Ebony Jewelwing damselfly (male)

An Ebony Jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx maculata) was spotted along a small stream located in Occoquan Regional Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA.

05 JUN 2021 | Fairfax County, VA | Ebony Jewelwing (male)

This individual is a male, as indicated by his all black wings and terminal appendages.

05 JUN 2021 | Fairfax County, VA | Ebony Jewelwing (male)

Habitat

It’s easy to find Ebony Jewelwing. Look for a small stream in the forest.

Slow-flowing woodland streams, usually associated with herbaceous vegetation. Tend to be more at rapids when that habitat is present. Occur on open banks when trees nearby (trees essential for roosting at night). May be abundant at small streams in woods where very few other species are present. Source Credit: Paulson, Dennis (2011-12-19). Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East (Princeton Field Guides) (Kindle Locations 1249-1251). Princeton University Press. Kindle Edition.

Copyright © 2021 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Blue-tipped Dancer damselfly (male)

A Blue-tipped Dancer damselfly (Argia tibialis) was spotted during a photowalk with Michael Powell along a mid-size stream in Fairfax County, Virginia USA. Blue-tipped Dancer is a member of Family Coenagrionidae (Narrow-winged Damselflies).

This individual is a male. I love the gun metal gray color of his upper thorax stripes.

15 JUL 2020 | Fairfax County, VA | Blue-tipped Dancer (male)

Related Resource: A. tibialis male #4 (Blue-tipped Dancer)

Credit

Thanks to Michael Boatwright, founder and administrator of the Virginia Odonata Facebook group, for help in identifying this specimen.

Copyright © 2020 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

American Rubyspot damselfly (male)

During a photowalk with Michael Powell in Fairfax County, Virginia USA, Mike spotted an American Rubyspot damselfly (Hetaerina americana) perched facing the Potomac River. This individual is a male, as indicated by his red coloration, hamules, and terminal appendages.

All of the photos in the following gallery look similar, although there are subtle differences.

The first photo is the “record shot” for this individual, that is, “get a shot, any shot.” Actually, this one turned out to be a good photo! The camera was set for an aperture of f/5.6 for all shots in the gallery. This viewing angle provided the clearest look at his terminal appendages given the relatively shallow depth-of-field.

08 JUN 2020 | Fairfax County, VA | American Rubyspot (male)

The next photo shows a better look at the damselfly’s metallic ruby red face. Handsome!

08 JUN 2020 | Fairfax County, VA | American Rubyspot (male)

Finally, I just like the look of the “light” in the last photo. Dark and moody.

08 JUN 2020 | Fairfax County, VA | American Rubyspot (male)

Related Resource: American Rubyspot – a blog post by Michael Powell

Copyright © 2020 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Ebony Jewelwing damselfly (female)

Two members of Family Calopterygidae (Broad-winged Damselflies) can be found in Fairfax County, Virginia USA: American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana); and Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata). Ebony Jewelwing seems to be more common than American Rubyspot in Fairfax County.

08 JUN 2020 | Fairfax County, VA | Ebony Jewelwing (female)

The preceding photo of an Ebony Jewelwing is one of my “warm-up shots” from a recent photowalk with Michael Powell at a location in Fairfax County, Virginia USA.

This individual is a female. A simple field mark may be used to differentiate female and male Ebony Jewelwing: females feature white pterostigmata; males don’t.

Related Resources

• American Rubyspot – range map and adult flight period for select states
• Ebony Jewelwing – range map and adult flight period for select states

Copyright © 2020 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

American Rubyspot damselfly (female)

An American Rubyspot damselfly (Hetaerina americana) was spotted during a photowalk with Michael Powell along Popes Head Creek at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park (HORP), Fairfax County, Virginia USA.

29 AUG 2019 | HORP | American Rubyspot (female)

This individual is a female, as indicated by her muted coloration (relative to males of the same species), thick abdomen, and terminal appendages.

29 AUG 2019 | HORP | American Rubyspot (female)

Mike and I saw the female as we worked our way upstream, and again on the way downstream. She was near the same location both times, perched facing the water.

Copyright © 2019 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Denizen of the seep

An Ebony Jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx maculata) was spotted near a forest seep located in Occoquan Regional Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This individual is a male, as indicated by the absence of white pterostigma — a field mark used to identify females of the same species.

01 JUN 2019 | Occoquan Regional Park | Ebony Jewelwing (male)

Look for Ebony Jewelwing beginning in late-May/early-June along almost any small- to mid-size forest stream in Northern Virginia (USA).

Ebony Jewelwing is a member of Family Calopterygidae (Broad-winged Damselflies). American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) is the only other species of Broad-winged Damselfly found in Northern Virginia.

Adult flight period

According to records for the Commonwealth of Virginia maintained by Dr. Steve Roble, Staff Zoologist at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, the adult flight period for C. maculata is from April 27 to October 06. The species is classified as common. Its habitat is “streams, rivers.”

Copyright © 2019 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Ebony Jewelwing damselflies (mating pair)

A mating pair of Ebony Jewelwing damselflies (Calopteryx maculata) was spotted near a small forest stream at Occoquan Regional Park. The male is shown on the left; the female on the right.

24 JUN 2018 | Occoquan Regional Park | Ebony Jewelwing (mating pair)

The damselflies are “in wheel,” in which the male uses “claspers” (terminal appendages) at the end of his abdomen to hold the female by her neck/thorax while they are joined at their abdomens. The wheel position is sometimes referred to as “in heart” when damselflies mate.

24 JUN 2018 | Occoquan Regional Park | Ebony Jewelwing (mating pair)

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Ebony Jewelwing damselfly (male)

Look for Ebony Jewelwing damselflies (Calopteryx maculata) beginning in late-May/early-June along almost any small- to mid-size forest stream in Northern Virginia (USA).

04 JUN 2018 | Occoquan Regional Park | Ebony Jewelwing (male)

This individual is a male, as indicated by the all-black coloration of his wings and by his terminal appendages.

Ebony Jewelwing is a member of Family Calopterygidae (Broad-winged Damselflies). American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) is the only other species of Broad-winged Damselfly found in Northern Virginia.

Related Resource: The adult flight period for Ebony Jewelwing is from April 27 to October 06, according to records for the Commonwealth of Virginia maintained by Dr. Steve Roble, a zoologist at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.