Nebraska Dragonflies and Damselflies

http://www.geocities.com/ne_odes/

Southern Spreadwing

Lestes australis

The Common Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) was recently split into two species: Common Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) and Southern Spreadwing (Lestes australis). Individuals occuring in Nebraska are generally thought to be Southern Spreadwings.

The male is mostly black with pale green shoulder stripes and pale lower legs. The face is pale blue and the eyes are bright blue. Abdominal segments 9 and 10 are pruinose (whitish).

On both sexes the back of the head is black. Female Southern Spreadwings look very much like female Slender Spreadwings, which are a little longer and have yellow wingtips and feet.

Blue indicates record in Beckemeyer database.
Green indicates record in Sibley database.
Yellow indicates sight or photographic record.