Identification

Field Marks

• Average adult size is approximately from 1.7 to 1.9 inches
• Face yellow to tan with a black triangle on the top of the frons
• Eyes are red on top and grey on the bottom turning green with maturity
• Thorax is brown and black with a couple of small yellow spots located on each side
• Black abdomen with a pale line separating the segments and a thicker yellowish line on both sides of the top of segments 3 to 8
• Minimal to no dark patches on the base of the hindwing
• Dark terminal appendages. Cerci have a bump on the bottom, a spike on the top and angle downward at the end, shaped kind of like an antler

Field Marks

• Female is colored similarly to the male
• Medium sized terminal appendages which are about equal in length to segment 9
• Subgenital plates are very straight, 'V' shaped and slightly smaller than segment 9
• Wing of mature females often have brown veining

Similar Species

• Common Baskettail
• The Beaverpond Baskettail only has a triangle on the top of the frons where the Common Baskettail has a large 'T' spot
• The Beaverpond Baskettail male's cerci resembles an antler, Common Baskettail males have a wave type of cerci
• Female Beaverpond Baskettails have shorter subgenital plates than Common Baskettail
• Spiny Baskettail
• The Beaverpond Baskettail only has a triangle on the top of the frons where the Common Baskettail has a large 'T' spot
• The Beaverpond Baskettail male's cerci resembles an antler, Spiny Baskettail males have a spine on the underside of the cerci
• Beaverpond Baskettail's subgenital plates are very straight,like a V, the Spiny Baskettail has more curved subgenital plates

Behavior

Males are very territorial and patrol a variable sized territory, alternating between hovering and flight. Beaverpond Baskettails often join large feeding swarms, mixing primarily with Spiny Baskettails

Habitat

Acidic lakes, ponds and slow moving streams.

Reproduction

Females produce eggs which accumulate on the end of their abdomen, like a basket, while the female looks for a suitable location to oviposit. She will look for a location with aquatic vegetation and twigs in the water, where she will dip her abdomen in and release the 'basket' of eggs which become egg strings in the water. Often more than one female will oviposit in the same location