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Mountain Emerald - Somatochlora semicircularis
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
The Mountain Emerald is currently ranked S3S5 as a "potential species of concern" in Montana because it is potentially at risk of extirpation in the state, due to limited and/or declining numbers, range and/or habitat, even though it may be abundant in some areas.
General Description
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Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
Mountain Emeralds are widespread across north western Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Yukon; and the western United States south to New Mexico: Alaska (SNR), California (SNR), Colorado (S4), Idaho (SNR), Montana (S3S5), Nevada (SNR), New Mexico (SNR), Oregon (SNR), Utah (SH), Washington (S5), Wyoming (SNR), in Canada--found in Alberta (S4), British Columbia (S5), Saskatchewan (SNR), Yukon Territory (S2S3). In Montana, found in the western Middle Rockies forested region of the state.
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 206
(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)
Habitat
The preferred habitat of the Mountain Emerald includes ponds, marshes, fens, bogs and swamps, as well as wet meadows associated with small streams. This species tends to avoid lakes unless an extensive sedge margin is present (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 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. They will also eat very small fish and tadpoles.
Adult- The dragonfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.
Reproductive Characteristics
Male Mountain Emeralds patrol their territories continuously, back and forth over the vegetated parts of the wetland looking for females. Females oviposit in slow flight over the water by making single taps of their abdomen into the water and then continuing to another location (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009).
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication
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.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Dunkle, S.W. 2000. Dragonflies through binoculars: A field guide to dragonflies of North America. New York, NY. Oxford University Press. 266 pp.
- Paulson, D.R. 2009. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West. Princeton University Press, Princeton. 535 pp.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Mountain Emerald"
- Additional Sources of Information Related to "Insects"
