General: California Dancer Damselflies (Argia agrioides) are small, active daytime fliers often seen in the grasses and other vegetation around ponds and slow waters around Las Vegas. Adult males are recognized by their overall blue color and light-blue tip on the black-ringed abdomen. On closer inspection, the black shoulder stripe is forked and the spot on the side of S2 is hour-glass shaped. Females are tan where males are violet.
These active creatures are harmless to humans, but they are voracious predators of small flying insects such as flies and mosquitoes. There are some good places for Watching Damselflies Around Las Vegas.
Taxonomy: Order Odonata, Suborder Zygoptera, Family Coenagrionidae. |