Fun Ebony Jewelwing Facts For Kids
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One of approximately 150 species of Calopterygidae, it is located within the eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada, ranging west to the Great Plains. Other common names of this species include black-winged damselfly. This damselfly species may be visible nearly year-round in a few regions. The damselfly shelters a diverse range of flowers and green algae in its habitat.
For more facts-based articles right here on Kidadl, check out longhorn beetle facts and golden tortoise beetle facts.
Ebony Jewelwing Interesting Facts
What type of animal is an ebony jewelwing?
The male ebony jewelwing Damselfly is a species of broad-winged damselflies from the family Calopterygidae. They are one of 150 species in the family Calopterygidae.
What class of animal does an ebony jewelwing belong to?
The ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata), which is from Eastern North America, is a black-winged damselfly that belongs to the Insecta class of animal.
How many ebony jewelwings are there in the world?
There has not been any specific research for the exact population of the ebony jewelwing, but they are abundant in number.
Where does an ebony jewelwing live?
The ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) has shiny black wings and can be found in eastern North America. The ebony jewelwing damselfly range extends from Canada in the north right up to Florida in the south and in the west in Wisconsin and Texas. The ebony jewelwing region is all around the world.
What is an ebony jewelwing's habitat?
Adult ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) damselflies can be located in shaded freshwater streams and rivers with dense vegetation so that they can prey on aquatic insects, although the males of this species of damselflies leave these areas to search for new territories. Ebony jewelwing habitats in forests can be found among the branches or leaves in a sunny region.
They are easily spotted because of their black wings and the metallic sheen on their body.
Who do ebony jewelwings live with?
The adult ebony jewelwing damselfly of the family of Calopterygidae lives a solitary life, which means they live alone and only come together in pairs to mate near streams and rivers.
How long does an ebony jewelwing live?
The males and the females have a very short lifespan of only 15-17 days in the wild. They become prey for birds and other predators quite easily.
How do they reproduce?
Ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) males try to appeal to the females through a 'cross' display. This display is accomplished by wooing the female by turning the hindwings downward while keeping them perpendicular to the body, elevating the forewings and stomach, and revealing a light area on the bottom of the abdomen.
Having successfully attracted a female, the male begins the courtship ritual, which includes whirling his black wings, and then he flies in front of her before swooping down to initiate the mating process.
When the female accepts the male jewel wing, the male pulls her prothorax toward his abdomen, and the female responds by lifting her abdomen to meet the bottom of his stomach.
This heartfelt display of courtship during the time they mate is referred to as the ebony jewelwing mating wheel.
After mating, female ebony jewelwings generally tend to put eggs in dams or rafts of plant debris in slow shifting streams and rivers. During this time, the male will live in the location to protect her and the eggs and ensure that different adult males do not mate with her. However, he refrains from contacting her directly.
What is their conservation status?
The conservation status of the ebony jewelwing damselflies, which are similar to the species of dragonflies, are categorized as Secure by the NatureServe conservation status. Although this species is Not Evaluated by the IUCN Red List. They are widespread, abundant, and lack major threats or other concerns.
Ebony Jewelwing Fun Facts
What do ebony jewelwings look like?
The body of the ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) is an iridescent dark green, however, they can also seem blue, blue-green, or even black in color. The wings are broad and dark throughout because of the dense network of thick, dark veins and the smoky shade of the membrane itself.
Adult female ebony jewelwings are bluish-green. However, they lack the iridescence of the male. The supposedly black wings are greatly translucent, turning light to dark brown more than black. The female's wings have a wonderful white spot close to the wingtips, making it easy to differentiate between the female and the male.
How cute are they?
They are a very cute and amusing species of damselfly to look at. The male has a beautiful black wing while the female damselfly has a beautiful brown wing with white spots on the wing.
How do they communicate?
Males and females of this species communicate with each other with their wings. They make a faint sound while snapping their wings together.
How big is an ebony jewelwing?
The ebony jewelwing wings spread are 1.5-2.2 in (38-57 mm) long, and they are 2.2-3 in (57-76 mm) tall. They are ten times bigger than the striped cucumber beetle.
How fast can an ebony jewelwing fly?
This damselfly species flies at 34 mph (54.7 kph). The male and female flies at the same speed as a dragonfly.
How much does an ebony jewelwing weigh?
The exact weight of the ebony jewelwings has not been researched. Hence, it has not been mentioned here.
What are the male and female names of the species?
There are no different male and female names for this species of damselfly.
What would you call a baby ebony jewelwing?
A baby damselfly is known as a naiad.
What do they eat?
This species of eastern damselfly feeds on aquatic insects, invertebrates, and other small insects. They are carnivorous but are also prey to birds.
Are they dangerous?
No, they are not dangerous and try to avoid human contact. However, their speed makes it easy for them to escape.
Would they make a good pet?
They would make a beautiful pet, but this species is not allowed to be kept as pets as they are not meant to be kept indoors and are hard to maintain.
Did you know...
Ebony jewelwing damselfly facts state that the females are not as colorful as the males and don't have as many colors on their bodies.
Dragonflies are more robust and bigger in size than damselflies.
Why are the ebony jewelwing damselfly's eyes further apart compared to other dragonflies?
The damselflies have large eyes, albeit with a small gap between the eyes, making them look smaller than the eyes of the dragonflies.
What does a damselfly symbolize?
Damselflies symbolize new light and joy and are often found in Japanese paintings.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these plume moth facts and puss moth facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Ebony jewelwing coloring pages.
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Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance, Master of Business Administration
Divya RaghavBachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance, Master of Business Administration
With a diverse range of experience in finance, administration, and operations, Divya is a diligent worker known for her attention to detail. Born and raised in Bangalore, she completed her Bachelor's in Commerce from Christ University and is now pursuing an MBA at Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore. Along with her professional pursuits, Divya has a passion for baking, dancing, and writing content. She is also an avid animal lover who dedicates her time to volunteering for animal welfare causes.
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