Invertebrates
Ebony Jewelwing
Calopteryx maculata · also called ebony jewelwings
Along a shaded forest stream, an ebony jewelwing flutters slowly between patches of dappled light, its solid black wings and metallic green body catching the sun in brief flashes that make it look less like an insect and more like a small piece of jewellery drifting through the air.
Overview
The ebony jewelwing, Calopteryx maculata, is a strikingly coloured damselfly native to shaded forest stream habitat across a broad range of eastern North America. Its solid black wings, metallic green body, and distinctive slow, fluttering flight make it one of the most visually captivating damselflies found in North American woodlands.
Flight built for display, not speed
While most damselflies and dragonflies favour fast, direct flight, the ebony jewelwing instead moves in a slow, deliberate flutter, a style that shows off its striking colouration rather than prioritising speed, well suited to a species that relies partly on visual display to attract a mate.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable shaded forest stream habitat throughout eastern North America.
Ebony Jewelwing: common questions
Why does the ebony jewelwing have black wings?
An ebony jewelwing displays solid black wings, a striking and unusual feature among damselflies, most of which instead have clear or only lightly tinted wings, and combined with its metallic green body, the black wings give the species its genuinely jewel-like common name.
Why does the ebony jewelwing fly so differently from other damselflies?
An ebony jewelwing flies with a notably slow, fluttering wingbeat, quite different from the faster, more direct flight typical of many other damselfly and dragonfly species, a distinctive flight style that makes the species relatively easy to identify even in flight.
What kind of habitat does the ebony jewelwing prefer?
The ebony jewelwing favours shaded, slow-moving streams within forested habitat, generally avoiding open, sunny water bodies that many other damselfly species tolerate well.
Where does the ebony jewelwing live?
The ebony jewelwing is native to shaded forest stream habitat across a broad range of eastern North America, generally remaining close to slow-moving, tree-covered streams.