Marsh bluet

Marsh bluet
male
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Family: Coenagrionidae
Genus: Enallagma
Species: E. ebrium
Binomial name
Enallagma ebrium
(Hagen, 1861)

The marsh bluet (Enallagma ebrium) is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae.

Description

Habitat

Marsh bluets are usually found near lowland lakes, ponds, and marshes, and has a definite preference for alkaline waters.

Diet

Size

It is a smaller species of bluets, with a size of 25–34 mm (0.98–1.34 in) in length.[1]

Distribution

Habits

Marsh bluets perch occasionally on vegetation in the area with the wings together. Their flight pattern is slow. They dart in and out of emergent vegetation.

Flight season

The marsh bluet is active early June to early September.

Ecology

Marsh bluets are very common at alkaline marshes in mid-summer.

Reproduction

In wheel position

Males set up territories at choice breeding sites. After males and females mate, the female oviposits, or lays her eggs, either singly or in tandem with the male. They will descend as much as a foot under the water to oviposit in aquatic vegetation.

Similar species

The marsh bluet looks similar to the Hagen's bluet and the familiar bluet.

References

Wikispecies has information related to: Enallagma ebrium
  1. Lam, E. (2004) Damselflies of the Northeast. Forest Hills, NY:Biodiversity Books, p. 74.
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