From: pujic
Posted: May 29, 2004 10:54 PM on www.FlyTyingForum.com

Took a photo of this thing this afternoon while trout fishing. The nymph was about 1.5" long and moved very slowly. I've seen plenty of damsel fly nymphs before, but this one seemed different. Maybe the eyes, or the rock covered thorax??? Could be me...

Nick-

What a gorgeous photo. Looks to me like it’s a nymphal Broadwinged Damselfly (family Calopterygide). Could be more certain if it didn’t have so much silt (or whatever) on it, which somewhat obscures familial identification keys. However, it appears to me to have very long (and stout) 1st antennae segment (longer than all others combined) and stilt-like legs, which are familial identification keys for nymphal Broadwinged Damselflies. Wish I could verify that the middle caudal lamella is shorter than the lateral lamellae, but the photo doesn't have sufficient focus in that area for me to determine.

In any event, the Broadwinged Damselfly genera in N. America are Calopteryx (Bandwings) and Hetaerina (Ruby Spots), so it’s likely one of those two.