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American Emerald - Cordulia shurtleffii
General Description
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Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
Widespread and locally abundant in western Montana (Miller and Gustafson 1996).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 122
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Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
The typical habitat of the American Emerald is beaver ponds and boggy lakes and ponds with abundant vegetation, as well as fens and marshes in forested landscapes. This species forages along forested openings and the edges of woodlands, often basking on leaves (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, 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- This damselfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.
Reproductive Characteristics
Male American Emeralds patrol over open water and along shoreline vegetation with periodic hovering, but territories are temporary and patrol routes change frequently. Copulation is usually in flight and protracted. Females oviposit by flying quickly in straight line, repeatedly touching the water in areas with overhanging shoreline vegetation (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009).
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Dunkle, S.W. 2000. Dragonflies through binoculars: A field guide to dragonflies of North America. New York, NY. Oxford University Press. 266 pp.
Miller, K.B. and D.L. Gustafson. 1996. Distribution records of the Odonata of Montana. Bulletin of American Odonatology 3(4):75-88.- Nikula, B., J. Sones, D.W. Stokes, and L.Q. Stokes. 2002. Stokes beginner's guide to dragonflies and damselflies. Boston: Little, Brown. 159 pp.
- Paulson, D.R. 2009. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West. Princeton University Press, Princeton. 535 pp.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Maxell, B.A. 2016. Northern Goshawk surveys on the Beartooth, Ashland, and Sioux Districts of the Custer-Gallatin National Forest: 2012-2014. Montana Natural Heritage Program. Helena, MT. 114pp.
- Nelson, Howard E. 1953. The summer dragonflies of Flathead Valley, Montana. M.A. Thesis. University of Montana. Missoula, MT.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "American Emerald"
- Additional Sources of Information Related to "Insects"
