Ebony Jewelwing

Flying moth-like on broad dark wings, their abdomens metallic green or blue, depending on the light, Calopteryx maculata are probably the most recognizable of our damselflies.Males are pictured above. These and the females below were spotted around the Cross River in the Ward Pound Ridge Reserve in Westchester County. I’ve not seen them in NYC*.The females have distinctive white pseugostigmas.

*They have been documented on Staten Island. In the 2009 state odonate survey, Staten Island (Richmond Co.) had 75 species of dragonflies and damselflies; Brooklyn (Kings Co.) had 23. I’ve tallied 24 species in Brooklyn.