Jewelwings

 Jewelwings are broadwing damselflies. Damselflies are different from dragonflies because all four of their wings are approximately the same size and shape. With dragonflies their front wings are a different size and shape then their hind wings. Broadwinged damselflies get their name because the base of their wings gradually broaden unlike other damselfly families whose wings connect to the thorax in more of a stalk shape.

Here in Minnesota we have only 3 species of broadwing damselfly. They are the American rubyspot, which is a metallic red in color, and the two jewelwings. The two species that we have look very similar with a metallic green thorax and abdomen. The difference is in the wings. The wings of the ebony jewelwing, top, are entirely black where the river jewelwing has wings that are black at the tip and clear at the base. Both of these species are usually found around rivers and they often share the same habitat. Jewelwings with a white stigma, white spot on the wing, indicate that the damselfly is a female.

Zygoptera

Zygoptera is the suborder of insects which damselflies belong to. It is one half of the order Odonata which also includes the suborder Anisoptera which are the dragonflies. Zygoptera roughly translates as "same Wing". The fore and hind wings of the damselfly are approximately the same size and shape where dragonflies have different shaped fore and hind wings. 

There are some other differences that can help identify between zygoptera (damselflies) and anisoptera (dragonfly) but many of these other field marks have exceptions. Damselflies all have eyes that are widely separated while most dragonflies, with the exception of the clubtail family, all have eyes that meet in the middle. Dragonflies are typically larger then damselflies, however the longest odonata in the world is the helicopter damselfly of South America. Dragonflies usually perch holding their wings out flat at their sides where damselflies perch with their wings folded together over their back with the exception of the spreadwing damselflies that hold their wings out at a 45 % angle at their side.

A Jewel in the Rough

One of the common damselflies that I see around rivers here, especially early in the summer are the river jewelwings. Their name is a little misleading because it is their head, thorax, and abdomen that sparkle like jewels. Their wings are fairly plain.

River jewelwing are a member of the spreadwing damselfly family. Spreadwings are typically larger damselflies. We have three spreadwing damsels that can be found here in Minnesota. The river jewelwing, the ebony jewelwing, which looks just like the river jewelwing except for its wings are entirely black, and the American rubyspot, which is a little smaller then the jewelwings and is metallic red in color. All three of these jewelwing are usually found around rivers and streams but occasionally are found around lakes or ponds also. I photographed this jewelwing at William O'brien State Park which is located on the shore of the St Croix River.

River Jewelwing

Dragonflies make up one half of the order Odonata. The other half of the order is comprised of the damselflies. Damselflies are in the suborder Zygoptera, which means "same wings," that is because the size and shape of the damselflies wings are all roughly the same. In contrast dragonflies, who make up the suborder Anisoptera which means unlike wings, have different sized and shaped hindwings and forewings.

There are several other differences between dragons and damsels. First damselflies usually hold their wings together over their backs when perched, while dragons hold their wings flat out at a 90% angle, the exception to this are spreadwing damsels that hold their wings at a 45% angle. Most dragons, with the exception on clubtails have eyes that touch while damsels all have eyes that are seperated on their hammer shaped head.

There are three different families of damselflies, broad-winged, spreadwing and pond damselflies. The largest and usually most colorful damselflies belong to the broad-winged family. Broad-winged damsels, which includes ebony jewelwing, river jewelwing and American rubyspot in this area, are found almost exclusively around streams and rivers, although I have seen American rubyspot on the shores of lakes also.

The broad-winged damsels in the pictures above are called river jewelwings. Both the ebony jewelwing and the river jewelwing have a metallic colored thorax and abdomen that are most often green but can also appear blue depending on how the light hits them. The difference between the two is that ebony jewelwing have solid black colored wings while the river jewelwing have two toned colored wings as you can see in the photos. These photos where taken near the mouth of a couple of small tributaries of the St Croix River, the Snake River and the Sunrise River.

River Jewelwing Maco Monday

Many people often mistake damselflies for dragonflies. Although they are both members of the order Odonata, the toothed ones, their are several differences that help us distinguish between the two.

First of damselflies are typically smaller and more slender then the thicker stout dragonflies, this is probably the reason for the name damselfly. Dragonflies are strong fliers with the ability for sustained flight while damsels have a much weaker fluttery style of flight.

The eyes of the damselfly are separated from each other, resting on opposite sides of their hammer shaped head, while the eyes of the dragon meet in the middle of their head, except the clubtails who have heads that are similar to damselflies. While at rest the damselfly will hold their wings vertically over their back except for the spreadwings which hold theirs at a 45 degree angle. Dragons always hold their wings perpendicular to their body while at rest.

One of the largest damselflies in size are the jewelwings. There are two types of jewelwings the ebony jewelwing and the river jewelwing. All of the pictures above are river jewelwings. You can tell them apart fairly easily because the ebony jewelwing has solid black wings where the river jewelwing has two-toned wings. The first three pictures here are of males, which have a metallic green color. Females, like the one in the last pic, are usually a yellow green color with a white dot on the edge of their wings.