WiseAcre Gardens

Black Winged Damselfly - Calopteryx maculata Well this should be a no-brainer to identify because the Black Winged Damselfly is supposed to be the only species that has solid black wings. Watching one fly might give you the impression that they are a cross between a butterfly and a dragonfly. Their flight is more like a butterfly’s flutter than the hovering and zoom zoom of a dragonfly. At rest damselflies hold their wings together over their body – again more like a moth or butterfly than a dragonfly. But now that it’s holding still you can see the typical head and body of a dragonfly. Black winged damselflies are found nearby streams where they lay eggs and the young mature. The naiads or aquatic nymphs are also predatory and will over winter in the water and emerge as adults in the spring. This is a male. Females have a white mark at the tip of their wings. Both have hairy legs that they use to catch their prey in flight. You can get a look at the hairs by opening the larger image below.

When it comes to identifing the next bug I hit this:

I don’t know where to start with this thing. When I took the photo I thought I was looking at a ladybug. (my eyes aren’t what they used to be) and I would have taken more photos if I saw better.

So you tell me – What in the world is it?

• Desktop Wallpaper , Insects
• Comments(7)

7 Responses

1. Monica the Garden Faerie Says:
   July 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 am

   Could it be a ladybug half-hatched from pupal stage?! The damselfly is gorgeous–I love the blue irridiescant color!

2. rainfield Says:
   July 2nd, 2009 at 11:24 am

   The damselfly is gorgeous. Seems like my dragonfly has chromed inself into the blue irridiescant color.

3. Miss M Says:
   July 2nd, 2009 at 12:42 pm

   Beautiful damselfly ! and I think Monica is spot on.
   http://www.hmrprint.com/helensphotos/LADYBUGS.html

   Looks like you won’t need glasses after all.:)

4. Grammy Says:
   July 2nd, 2009 at 9:18 pm

   Your photos are awesome. You have a great camera and a great eye for photos. Have a wonderful week.

5. cindee Says:
   July 2nd, 2009 at 10:21 pm

   Supa photos.
   That is a lady bug in the pupa stage.

6. Ratty Says:
   July 3rd, 2009 at 6:52 am

   Great shots of the damselfly. I always wanted to see one that close. If that other is a ladybug it’s an ugly one. Even more interesting though.

7. Dave Runyan Says:
   July 31st, 2010 at 7:45 am

   this is a ladybug molting. in the larva stage, they look prehistoric.

   this site explains it all nicely.

   http://www.webphemera.com/2009/05/weird-life-cycle-of-ladybug.html

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