occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) It is distributed broadly across northern and central North America from extreme southern British Columbia and north-central Alberta (noticeably absent from the Yukon) east to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and New England, south to California, Nevada, Colorado, Nebraska, Indiana, Iowa and Virginia; and spotty in the west in southern Washington and east of the Cascade Mountains (Cannings, 2003; Nikula et al., 2003; Paulson, 1999; Westfall and May, 1996; Paulson and Dunkle, 2009).

The first antennal segment equal to or longer than succeeding 6 segments together; labium (ligula) with a deep, open, median cleft. Labium cleft only to base of palpal lobes. Gills long and slender with many thin marginal hairs, but no stiff setae along the gill margins; common statewide on shady streams. Median gill without stout spines, only thin, short setae and few long hair-like setae along margins; no stout spines on posterior portion of lateral carinae of sbdominal segments 9 and 10. Very early instars of Calopteryx maculata and the similar Calopteryx aequabilis were distinguishable based on the head width and length of the proximal antennal segment. In C. maculata, the length of antennal segment 1 is approximately 0.85x than the width of the head across eyes; while the tubercles behind the eyes are prominent and acute, raised above the level of eyes; and the hind femur of the final instar larva is 7.5 mm or less. In C. aequabilis, the length of antennal segment 1 is approximately 0.95x or greater than the width of the head across eyes; while the tubercles behind eyes are low and rounded, not raised above level of eyes; and the hind femur of the final instar larva is 8.2 mm or more (Martin, 1939).

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater

Habitat Type: Freshwater

Comments: Larvae live in small to medium-sized, warm rivers and streams; especially along swiftly flowing riffle segments. They can typically be found in underwater tree roots and aquatic vegetation. Adults are often perched nearby in a head down position along streams and rivers (Biggs, 2000; Cannings, 2003; Conrad and Herman 1987; Nikula et al., 2003; Westfall and May, 1996).

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: > 300

The larval life cycle is typically two or three years long (Martin, 1939). Flight period is from mid-June to early September in British Columbia (Cannings, 2002), early June to early September in Washington (Paulson, 1999), mid-May to mid-September in Oregon (Johnson and Valley, 2005), May to August in California (Biggs, 2000), mid-June to early September in Idaho (Logan, 1967), June to September in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin (DuBois, 2005), mid-June to late August in Ohio (Glotzhober and McShaffrey, 2002), mid-May to mid-August in Massachusetts (Nikula et al., 2003), and late May to late August in Nova Scotia (Conrad and Herman, 1990). Males are territorial defending oviposition sites and this is one of the few damselflies that court females. Courtship involves fluttering back and forth in front of a perched female and by males flinging their bodies onto the water's surface in courtship displays. Mating usually occurs on vegetation very close to the water after which the male returns to his territorial perch to guard the egg-laying female. Females lay eggs singly submerged below the water's surface. Either the tip of the abdomen or the entire female may be submerged. Adults are often found perched on streamsides in emergent vegetation often within a few feet of the shoreline. They may also fly low over the water in a bouncy manner (see Cannings, 2003; Conrad and Herman, 1987; DuBois, 2005; Martin, 1939).

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: It is distributed broadly across northern and central North America from extreme southern British Columbia and north-central Alberta (noticeably absent from the Yukon) east to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and New England, south to California, Nevada, Colorado, Nebraska, Indiana, Iowa and Virginia; and spotty in the west in southern Washington and east of the Cascade Mountains.

Comments: Isolated populations in the west may be valid subspecies and merit further study (Westfall and May 2006).