Montana Field Guide

Western Red Damsels can be common in scattered localities at low and mid elevations of Montana. This damselfly lives in marshy places with plenty of grasses and sedges: shallow ponds, sloughs, spring-fed pools and slow streams; the Eleocharis palustris site association is typical, as well as other spikerushes and cattails. Adults fly close to the ground and perch frequently in low vegetation. Associated Wetland ecological systems are: Western Emergent Marsh, Northern Rocky Mountain Wooded Vernal Pool and the Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Fen. North American Arid West Emergent Marsh, Northwestern Great Plains Perennial Spring.

Western Red Damsels inhabit small slow-flowing forested streams, springs and seeps at the margins of shaded lakes, ponds, and swamps, as well as marshes and sloughs usually with a hard substrate (Westfall and May 1996, Nikula et al. 2002, Acorn 2004, Paulson 2009). Although this species tends to stay close to breeding sites, they can also be located in more open clearings and meadows where they forage (Paulson 2009).

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.

Adults fly low but rapid flights in areas of abundant vegetation preferring to stay concealed. They are rarely observed over open water. It is common to see males and females together at breeding sites and oviposition done in tandem on floating vegetation (Nikula et al. 2002, Acorn 2004, Paulson 2009).