#damselflies #dragonflies #odonata Ebony jewelwings (Calopteryx maculata), are by far my favorite member of the odonata.
while they may not be as dramatic or exciting as some of the dragonfly species, jewel wings are simply nothing else....but poetry in motion. Their name is rather appropriate, they are pure jewels and to me, they are the super models of the insect world. The species is sexually dimorphic. The males bodies are a stunning iridescent green, although they may appear iridescent blue or even black at times, depending on the angle. A camera does their beauty no justice. The females are a dark bluish green. All damselflies have two pairs of wings that are usually held above the body when at rest. But this species is special. The wings of the male are an impressive jet black that is simply awe inspiring. The females wings are a dark amber , complete with a distinct white flare at the tip. Dark wings are a rare characteristic among odonata.