Vivid Dancer Damselfly
Scientific Name:
Argia vivida
Type:
Invertebrate
Habitat:
Springs, ponds, and riparian areas (river habitats) with vegetation and rocks
Range:
Western United States and British Columbia
Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List); Threatened in BC due to habitat loss and degradation
This species is
NATIVE
to the Truckee Meadows.
Identification:
Vivid dancer damselflies are flying insects similar in appearance to dragonflies. Adult males are a rich blue color with transparent wings that appear silvery when flapping quickly in the sunlight. Most adult females, on the other hand, are tan and gray.
Fast Facts:
Vivid dancer damselflies are the state insect of Nevada and can be found across the state.
Vivid dancer damselflies are able to live farther north than they normally should by inhabiting hot springs.
Damselflies and dragonflies look very similar to each other, but there are ways to tell them apart. Damselflies are generally smaller than dragonflies (usually between 1.5 to 2 inches long), and damselfly wings fold up when they're resting as opposed to dragonfly wings, which stick out.
Sources:
Nevada Legislature, Nevada Facts and State Emblems, 2016, https://www.leg.state.nv.us/General/NVFacts/
Bug Guide, Species Argia vivida - Vivid Dancer, 2011, https://bugguide.net/node/view/24800
IUCN Red List, Vivid Dancer, 2021, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/51332354/65836679
Wisconsin Public Radio, Dragonfly Or Damselfly? Here's How To Tell The Difference, 2015, https://www.wpr.org/dragonfly-or-damselfly-heres-how-tell-difference
Image: Steve Berardi, https://www.flickr.com/photos/steveberardi/36363174866, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/, cropped from original.
Contributor(s):
Alex Shahbazi