Flight season: late May to late July.
Population: common and widespread.
Found near ponds, small lakes and fens, but often forages a fair distance from water.
Length about 40 mm. The yellow-orange mark on S3 and narrow abdomen that flares at the tip
(more so in males than females) separate this dragonfly from the American Emerald.
|
|
East of Tweed, Ontario, near the intersection of Alexander Street and the trans-Canada Trail:
disturbed field supporting tall grasses and wildflowers, bordered by shrubs and trees with a sand and rock-bottomed creek to the east.
|
|
Male Racket-tailed Emerald (Dorocordulia libera) – an older individual.
Immature emeralds have brown eyes that turn a deep glowing green with increasing age
(June 14, 2011).
|
|
East of Tweed, Ontario, near the old railroad (trans-Canada Trail) bridge over the Moira River:
rock-bottomed river, fast current, shrubs and trees along the shoreline.
|
Male Racket-tailed Emerald (Dorocordulia libera)
May 30, 2011
|
......................................................................
Female Racket-tailed Emerald (Dorocordulia libera)
May 30, 2011
|
|
North of Tweed, Ontario, the Skootamatta River at Storrings Bridge:
rock-bottomed river with fast flowing water, rapids and emergent rocks,
and a steep rocky shoreline bordered by woodlands.
|
|
A female Racket-tailed Emerald (Dorocordulia libera) that has found a handy place to
perch while eating a Deer Fly (June 17, 2011).
|
|
Tweed, Ontario, along the trans-Canada Trail about 2 km west of town:
woodlands and meadows supporting tall grasses and wildflowers,
with nearby marshes providing breeding habitat.
|
Racket-tailed Emerald (Dorocordulia libera), wheel
June 26, 2012
|
