Identification

Field Marks

• Average adult size is approximately 2.2 inches
• Yellow face with no facial markings and high convex occiput
• Bright blue eyes
• Greenish-yellow thorax with bold shoulder stripes, incomplete 3rd stripe and narrow 4th stripe
• Dark thin abdomen with lance-style top spots on segments 3 to 7, small triangle on segment 8 and nothing on segment 9
• Dark yellow to rusty colored side spots on margin of segments 8 and 9
• Yellow spot on the top of segment 10
• Widely forked claspers
• Segment 10 is wider than segment 9

Field Marks

• Female is colored similarly to the male
• Female has a tall occiput with a cleft in the center
• Female has two dark horns in front of the occiput
• Terminal appendages are yellow with black borders
• Subgenital plates only about a quarter of the length of segment 9

Behavior

Males perch on rocks, the ground, leaves, floating algae mats, lilypads, or other floating vegetation from which they chase any interlopers from their territory. This species is very wary and is easily flushed. When disturbed they typically fly to perch high in nearby trees

Habitat

Small to medium slow moving streams and rivers. Muddy ponds with a lot of vegetation

Reproduction

Females lay eggs by flying from point to point and dipping her abdomen into the water