, Family Pond Damsels (Coenagrionidae) Size 1.125-1.75” (32-44mm) Season Food Anything it can catch - usually other insects but including other damselflies Habitat Ponds and marhes     These damselflies are most often seen at ponds and marshes. It is nearly impossible to distinguish species of Bluets except in hand with a magnifying glass. Bluets are very similar to Dancers, Argia, but can be distinguished by behavior, length of the hairs on their legs and the vulvar spine on females. While not definitive, Bluets tend to perch on vegetation while Dancers land on the ground or rocks. Bluets tend to hold their wings along their sides while Dancers hold them above the abdomen. A more definitive identification is possible if you are able to look closely at their leg spurs. On Dancers the hairs on the legs are longer than the distance between each hair. On Bluets the distance is less than or about equal to the length of each hair. Female Bluets have a vulvar spine while Dancers do not. When mating, the pair first links in tandem. Next, the female bends her abdomen forward to join the male’s secondary genitalia, forming a wheel. After the eggs are fertilized, they return to the single linkage and fly in tandem to oviposit the fertilized eggs in submerged vegetation. Northern, Boreal, Familiar, Tule, and Arroyo Bluets are all found in the area and are virtually indistinguishable without a magnifying glass. caption: file: x - square 0" x 0" at 300 dpi - release: contact us regarding image add image to lightbox References Biggs, Kathy. Common Dragonflies of the Southwest: A Beginner’s Pocket Guide. Sebastopol: Azalea Creek, 2004. Manolis, Tim. Dragonflies and Damselflies of California. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003. Evans, Arthur V. National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America. New York: Sterling, 2008. Acorn, John. Bugs of Northern Californa. Renton: Lone Pine, 2002. http://bugguide.net/node/view/524/bgpage