DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES OF WEST VIRGINIA SPECIES PAGE
This is a very common species in West Virginia, living alongside many
ponds, marshes, and slow-moving streams. The species does have an aversion
to acidic waters, and thus may serve as an environmental indicator in the
vicinity of old deep mines and strip mines.
This species has eyes dark above and green below, although in immature
females the eyes are dark above and a lighter brown below.
For males, the markings on abdominal segments eight and nine are distinctive
in our region. In profile, each of these two segments is predominantly blue,
but with a black rectangle included, as seen in this photograph:
No other damselfly in our region has this pattern on the
males’ abdominal segments eight and nine.
The head and thorax of males are marked with green and black. Immature
females have similar patterns on the head and thorax, but in orange and
black.
Above: Immature female Eastern Forktail
Face of the male Eastern Forktail. Note that the eyes are
black above and green below
Male Eastern Forktail. The eyespots are pale green, small to medium
sized, and somewhat round in shape.
The eyespots of immature females are similar, but orange, and there
is a thin orange line connecting the posterior side of the eyespots.
Face of the immature female Eastern Forktail. Note that
the eyes are dark above and pale below.
Lateral view of the head and thorax of female Eastern
Forktails. Immature above; older individual below.
