AZURE BLUET

AZURE BLUET

Enallagma aspersum
POND DAMSEL FAMILY (Coenagrionidae)

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The Azure Bluet is 1 – 1.3 inches in length. The abdomen is slender and black with most of segment 7 and all of 8, 9 and 10 being blue. The thorax, like the female’s, is blue with black middorsal and thoracic stripes. The male has blue eyes. The female’s eyes are black over brown. Her abdomen is mostly black with most of segment 7 blue with a thin black line down the middle. Segment 8 has a pair of blue basal spots. Segment 9 and 10 are black with narrow lavender bands. The male has large postocular blue spots. The female has smaller oval postocular blue spots. The male is easily identified by the large of amount of blue at the end of the abdomen. The female is also easily identified by the unique patterns on abdominal segments 7 and 8.

 

The frequency of occurrence at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods is not known. In late June 2013 a male and female were photographed on the boardwalk near the Fontenelle Nature Center and a 2nd female was seen on Wren Trail. They inhabit ponds and lakes of all sizes with much emergent vegetation and without fish.

 

The male accompanies the female to select an appropriate site to lay eggs. He separates from the female when she climbs down a plant stem into the water headfirst. She seems to prefer to oviposit at the base of a plant and may stay submerged from 5 to as long as 25 minutes. The male rejoins the female when she emerges from the water after ovipositing.

 

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