CRIMSON-RINGED WHITEFACE Leucorrhinia glacialis

DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES OF WEST VIRGINIA SPECIES PAGE

Like the Hudsonian Whiteface, the Crimson-Ringed is a species more often found far to the north: as far north as Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories, and Labrador. Also like the Hudsonian Whiteface, the Crimson-Ringed Whiteface makes it as far south as central Pennsylvania, then is found again in one little pocket of Appalachian highlands to the South. In the case of the Crimson-Ringed Whiteface, this little pocket consists of highland bogs in Tucker County, West Virginia, and in Garrett County, Maryland.

The mature male Crimson-Ringed Whiteface has a mostly black body, with some red on the thorax. The base of the abdomen is ringed with red. The face is, of course, white, and the eyes are dark.

Females are similar, but have yellow markings instead of red. Unlike the males, females have yellow spots on top of the abdomen, specifically, on segments one to seven. As the females age the yellow spots get lighter—or in a few cases may turn to red. Eyes are brown to dark brown and the face is white.

Immature males have a yellow thorax and base of the abdomen, but like the mature males they do lack spots on the abdomen.

This species sometimes perches on low shrubs, but is more often seen perching low, on moss or the leaves of water plants. Mating, too, often occurs at ground level.

Typical perch of the Crimson-Ringed Whiteface, at ground level on Sphagnum moss. The red color on the thorax is often subdued.

Females and immature males have yellow markings instead of red. Immature males are yellow at the base of the abdomen, but the rest of the abdomen is black (as shown). Females are similar, but have yellow spots on the abdomen. On older females the spots may fade—or even, confusingly, turn red.

This species is also included in the Odonate pages of the Insects of West Virginia site.