Ruddy Darter vs River Jewelwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ruddy Darter River Jewelwing
Scientific Name Sympetrum sanguineum Calopteryx aequabilis
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Libellulidae Calopterygidae
Size 34-39mm 42-54 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Rivers & Streams
Diet Blood Feeders Omnivores
Regions Europe, Asia North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ruddy Darter

A small dragonfly where mature males turn deep blood-red with a distinctly club-shaped abdomen. Females remain golden-yellow. It has entirely black legs unlike similar species.

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Did You Know?

Pairs mate in flight, forming a heart-shaped wheel, then the female flicks eggs onto water while still attached to the male.

River Jewelwing

A North American damselfly with narrow dark wing tips in males and a metallic green body. It prefers faster-flowing rivers than the Ebony Jewelwing.

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Did You Know?

Males have dark tips on otherwise clear wings, the reverse pattern of most other jewelwings.