Elegant Spreadwing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/11/2023). (c) Lisa Shannon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (6/20/2025). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/25/2022). (c) Jason E. Avery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/9/2013). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved.
Elegant Spreadwing in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/23/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/9/2013). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved.
An Elegant Spreadwing in Washington Co., Maryland (7/18/2020).
Elegant Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (7/3/2021). (c) jasoneavery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (7/3/2021). (c) jasoneavery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Elegant Spreadwing in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/23/2009). (c) Hans Holbrook, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
Map Snapshot
85 Records
Status
Elegant Spreadwing (Lestes inaequalis) is a large, elongate pond spreadwing, widespread in Maryland, but not considered especially common (Richard Orr-Maryland Odonata website). It breeds primarily in well-vegetated ponds and lakes, but also occasionally frequents slow forest streams. The paraprocts are distinctively longer than the cerci in males of this species (Paulson, 2011).
Citations
No citations linked for this taxon yet.
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Elegant Spreadwing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/11/2023). (c) Lisa Shannon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Lisa Shannon.
Elegant Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (6/20/2025). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Jim Moore.
Elegant Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/25/2022). (c) Jason E. Avery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Jason Avery.
Elegant Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/9/2013). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved.
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Bill Hubick.
Elegant Spreadwing in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/23/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist.
Elegant Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/9/2013). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved.
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Bill Hubick.
An Elegant Spreadwing in Washington Co., Maryland (7/18/2020).
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Frode Jacobsen.
Elegant Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (7/3/2021). (c) jasoneavery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Jason Avery.
Elegant Spreadwing in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Josh Emm.
Elegant Spreadwing in Calvert Co., Maryland (7/3/2021). (c) jasoneavery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Jason Avery.
Elegant Spreadwing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Tom Feild.
Elegant Spreadwing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Tom Feild.
Elegant Spreadwing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Tom Feild.
Elegant Spreadwing in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2022). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Tom Feild.
Elegant Spreadwing in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/23/2009). (c) Hans Holbrook, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
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Hans Holbrook.
Source: Wikipedia
| Elegant spreadwing | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Family: | Lestidae |
| Genus: | Lestes |
| Species: | L. inaequalis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lestes inaequalis Walsh, 1862
| |
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Lestes virgo Calvert, 1897 | |
The elegant spreadwing (Lestes inaequalis) is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to eastern North America, including eastern Canada and the United States.[1]
Description
[edit]This species is 45 to 60 millimeters long.[2] The male has a metallic green and yellow thorax and a blue-tipped green abdomen. The body is pruinose, especially in older specimens. The female has a thicker body with duller coloration. This species is similar to the swamp spreadwing (L. vigilax) but larger in size, and to the amber-winged spreadwing (L. eurinus) but without the amber wings.[3]
Biology
[edit]This species lives near freshwater bodies such as streams, lakes, ponds, and marshes.[3] It may live under the canopy in wooded areas.[2]
The elegant spreadwing is known to feed on smaller damselflies.[2]
References====External links
[edit]
Media related to Lestes inaequalis at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Elegant spreadwing at Wikispecies
- ^ NatureServe. 2015. Lestes inaequalis. NatureServe Explorer. Version 7.1. Accessed January 28, 2016.
- ^ a b c Lestes inaequalis. Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Odonata Central.
- ^ a b Lestes inaequalis. Wisconsin Odonata Survey. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.