damselflies

Blue-ringed Dancers, Argia sedula, are damselflies. Smaller than Dragonflies, these beautiful dancers are found near freshwater streams, lakes, and rivers. When they are not dancing through the air catching tiny insects in flight, they can often be found perching on aquatic vegetation.

Male Blue-ringed Dancers are vibrant blue and black while females are a dull brown. They fly together as they mate before the female deposits her eggs in vegetation with her long ovipositor. The larvae, known as naiads, dine on insects in the freshwater they inhabit. Blue-ringed Dancers emerge from the larval stage to search for food and a mate while entertaining us with their balletic movements.