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  Spatterdock Darner
            Rhionaeschna mutata Hagen, 1861 (S1S2)

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Species distribution map

Range & Habitat:

Found in the Ridge & Valley and Highland areas.

An early darner, it prefers fishless ponds and lakes with water lilies and other emergent vegetation

 

Spatterdock Darner male lateral 

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge additional photos. 

Description:

Males have cerulean blue eyes, blue thoracic stripes and blue abdominal spots.  Females may have green on the thorax but usually retain the blue eyes.

Until recently, considered part of the Mosaic Darners (Genus Aeshna) but recent studies have shown that this and several closely related darners actually belong in a separate genus.

 

Conservation Status:

State: S1S2 - Imperiled to critically imperiled in New Jersey

Global: G3G4 - Very rare and local throughout its range, found locally in a restricted range, or vulnerable due to other factors

For a full explanation of the ranks, click here

Flight season:

Early Date: 5/29
Late Date: 7/5

Please scroll down for monthly graph.

 

Flight Season

(hover your mouse over the bar for actual data)
 
Number of Records
12 
2 12 1
J F M A M J J A S O N D

Months

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Click here for acknowledgments
Date, distribution, and status data courtesy of Allen Barlow, NJOS

© 2006 Jim Bangma, NJOS  Comments or suggestions?  Use the Feedback Form