Field Marks

• Average adult size is approximately from 1.1 to 1.3 inches
• White face
• Eyes are dark brown over dark grey
• Black unmarked thorax
• Black legs
• Black abdomen with a yellow top spot on segment 7
• Sometimes pruinose markings on the bottom of segment 2
• Small black patches at base of wings
• Black terminal appendages
• Short cerci not much longer than epiproct

Field Marks

• Whiteface with brown eyes
• Brown thorax with black spotting
• Yellow sidespots on segments 3 to 5
• Yellow top spots on segments 3 to 7 that get darker and disappear with age
• Two spike like projections on subgenital plates

Behavior

The Dot-tailed Whiteface is the most common Whiteface found throughout most of the southern two thirds of Minnesota. In Northern Minnesota, particularly the northeast, where other Whitefaces are more common, the Dot-tailed whiteface is an uncommon sight

Habitat

Lakes, ponds and slow streams with emergent vegetation

Reproduction

Pairs are often seen flying in "wheel" looking for a location in trees, bushes, or tall grasses to mate. Females typically lay eggs alone and unguarded, by dipping their abdomen into the water usually over submerged vegetation or in algae mats