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| Orange bluet | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Family: | Coenagrionidae |
| Genus: | Enallagma |
| Species: | E. signatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Enallagma signatum (Hagen, 1861) | |
The orange bluet (Enallagma signatum) is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae.
This species of bluet stands out from many other bluets because of its orange color. On male orange bluets, the thorax is orange with a thick, black stipe along the back and black shoulder stripes. His abdomen is mostly black with some orange rings, orange below, and orange near the tip. His large eyes are orange on a black head; small orange postocular spots are connected across the back of the head by an orange bar. On female orange bluets, the thorax is similar looking to the male thorax only the color is dull yellow instead of orange. Her abdomen is mostly black above and dull yellow below. Her large eyes are yellow-brown with small yellow postocular spots connected by a thin, yellow bar. The female can also be one of three forms. The first remains blue throughout life, one becomes green and the third becomes orange.
This bluet is often found near streams, ponds, pools with still waters, slow moving streams, and rivers.
The orange bluet is small with an average length of 1 to 1.5 inches (25–38 mm). Its hindwing is 15–21 mm long.
Orange bluets feed on insects. Their flight pattern is slow, moving in and out of emergent vegetation.
The orange bluet may perch on rock, foliage, water lilies, other emergent vegetation, and on the bare ground along the shore with wings together.
Orange bluets are similar to cherry, burgundy, and scarlet bluets. All three bluets are red not orange. General vesper bluets are similar, but the black humeral stripe is either lacking or narrowly reduced in that species. Threadtail damselflies are orange and are found alongside the orange bluet, but they will have much longer and thinner abdomens. Their abdomens are twice as long as the length of their wings. It also looks similar to the Florida bluet which is orange in color, but males have shorter and stubbier cerci.
Orange bluet females will posture their unwillingness to mate. Females stay a distance from the water and are often not encountered except in copula or tandem. After mating, the pairs will begin laying eggs in floating vegetation or debris, with the male often accompanying his partner underwater. The female will remain underwater, ovipositing in the traditional manner for up to 20 minutes at a time.
The orange bluet has a long flight season. It is from early March to early November. This bluet is unusual in that it is most active in the late afternoon.
Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, but are smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings along the body when at rest, unlike dragonflies which hold the wings flat and away from the body. An ancient group, damselflies have existed since at least the Lower Permian, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Enallagma cyathigerum is a species found mainly between latitudes 40°N and 72°N; It is widely distributed in the Palearctic, and the Nearctic species Enallagma annexum was at one time considered to be synonymous with it. The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm. It is common in many different countries including Russia, Europe and South Korea. Damselflies are an important link between the health of the aquatic ecosystem and its response to climate change.
The Large red damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula, is a species of damselflies belonging to the family Coenagrionidae.
The ruddy darter is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae.
Ischnura aurora, golden dartlet, also known as the aurora bluetail, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae.
The white-legged damselfly or blue featherleg is a damselfly of slow-flowing, muddy waters. It occurs from the Atlantic to Siberia and is often abundant throughout its range.
Pseudagrion newtoni, the harlequin sprite, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae.
The tule bluet is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae found in North America.
Petalura litorea, commonly known as the coastal petaltail, is an endangered Australian species of dragonfly from the family Petaluridae.
The great spreadwing is a damselfly in the family Lestidae. When great spreadwings are startled they often return to the same perch or a perch nearby.
Eastern forktail is a member of the damselfly family Coenagrionidae.
The marsh bluet is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae.
The boreal bluet is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae.
Enallagma traviatum is a species of small damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is commonly known as the slender bluet. The slender is small about 29–32 mm in length.
Pseudagrion citricola is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is commonly known as the yellow-faced sprite.
Enallagma annexum, the northern bluet, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. Enallagma annexum was formerly included with Enallagma cyathigerum.
Proischnura rotundipennis, the round-winged bluet is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is scarce and localised.
Proischnura polychromatica, the mauve bluet, is a small species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is endemic to a small area of Cape Province in South Africa. The adult male has a mauve sheen to its dark-coloured body, a bronze-green thorax striped with mauve, and a pale brown abdomen with a bronze-green dorsal stripe. The female is mainly pale brown. The natural habitat of this damselfly is transient pools in stream beds with floating vegetation, especially sedges. Although previously more widespread, it is now known from a single location where it is threatened by the encroachment of cattle and the loss of suitable habitat. For these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as "endangered".
Paracercion malayanum, Malay lillysquatter, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is known to occur in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Java, Philippines and Thailand.
Ischnura erratica, the swift forktail, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to the Pacific Northwest, ranging from British Columbia to northern California.
