View in other NatureServe Network Field Guides
NatureServe
Montana
Utah
Wyoming
Idaho
Wisconsin
British Columbia
South Carolina
Yukon
California
New York
Subarctic Bluet - Coenagrion interrogatum
No photos are currently available
If you have a high quality photo of this species, are confident in the identification, and would like to submit it
for inclusion on the Montana Field Guide, please send it to us using our online photo submission tool.
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
This damselfly is currently listed as an "S1S2" Species of Concern in MT due to extremely limited and/or rapidly declining population numbers, range and/or habitat, making it highly vulnerable to extirpation in the state. This restricted range may be due to lack of suitable surveys to detect this dragonfly. With more surveys this species will likely be found in more areas across the western portion of the state. The Subarctic Bluet appears to be very habitat specific to the marshy lakes of northwest MT, limited collecting contributes to it's vulnerable state status as well.
General Description
The Subarctic Bluet is much less common than the Taiga Bluet and is very localized rather than widespread. This small bluet inhabits cool beaver ponds or peat bogs. It can be found in a limited area of Northwest MT in late spring and summer. The small damselfly is 30 mm long (~1 in.). The male is black and bright blue. It can be distinguished from the Taiga Bluet by the broken shoulder stripe and the abdominal banding. In this Bluet, the blue color of the stubby hindmost segments extends into the preceding long segment, unlike the all black long segment of the Taiga Bluet. Females may be blue or greenish with narrow light bands on the abdomen. Like all bluets, the Subarctic Bluet is a weak flier and rests horizontally with wings folded over the abdomen.
Diagnostic Characteristics
It can be distinguished from the Taiga Bluet by the broken shoulder stripe and the abdominal banding. In this bluet, the blue color of the stubby hindmost segments extends into the preceding long segment, unlike the all black long segment of the Taiga Bluet.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
This species is found throughout Canada and in several of the northern and northeastern states, including most of New England (Paulson 2009). Currently the Subarctic Bluet is only known from Spencer and Howe Lakes in Flathead County (Miller and Gustafson 1996).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 5
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Migration
This species is not known to migrate.
Habitat
The preferred habitat for Subarctic Bluets is open boreal fens and bogs, as well as marshes and beaver ponds with abundant mosses and sedges (Westfall and May 1996, Acorn 2004, Paulson 2009).
National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species
Wetland and Riparian
Alkaline - Saline Wetlands
Alpine Riparian and Wetland
Peatland
Riparian and Wetland Forest
Riparian Shrubland
Wet Meadow and Marsh
Food Habits
Larvae feed on a wide variety of aquatic insects, such as mosquito larvae, other aquatic fly larvae, mayfly larvae, and freshwater shrimp. Adult damselfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.
Reproductive Characteristics
Male Subarctic Bluets tend to be more present in dense vegetation and not in open water. Copulation usually occurs while perched on nearby upland shrubs. Oviposition occurs in tandem or by single females on floating grass and sedge leaves as well as grass stems (Paulson 2009).
Stewardship Responsibility
Threats or Limiting Factors
Drought and associated water-level changes are considered the greatest immediate threats to known populations. Although this species is widespread and common in much of Canada, it is rare and sparsely distributed at the southern edge of its range (NatureServe 2011), and climate-related changes in habitat suitability may threaten populations and shift the species’ distribution northward.
References
Literature Cited AboveLegend:
Additional ReferencesLegend: Do you know of a citation we're missing?
Web Search Engines for Articles on "Subarctic Bluet"
Additional Sources of Information Related to "Insects"
