Black Darter

Very widespread species, especially in western North America (Lung and Sommer 2001).

Flight season is from late June to mid September or October (Hutchings and Halstead 2011).

Found from Alaska to Newfoundland and Labrador, south to northern California and Wisconsin, as well as some parts of northern United States. It is also found in northern Europe and Eurasia (Paulson 2009).

Approximately 3 centimeter meadowhawk with black and yellow patterns. Males are almost entirely black with few yellow stripes and have metallic face. Females have reddish-brown eyes with pale green colours. The thorax and abdomen is mostly yellow with black stripes on lateral sides and the costal veins on both wings are yellow. Immature adults are yellow with lighter black or brown patterns on thorax and abdomen, and will gradually turn darker as they become mature (Paulson 2009).

Mountain areas (Cannings 2002), bogs, fens, and marshes with dense vegetations (Paulson 2009).

The adults emerge around mid July to late August (Cannings and Cannings 1997). Unlike cherry-faced meadowhawks, the black meadowhawks are not territorial (Paulson 2009). The mating season is from August to early September (Cannings and Cannings 1997). Most of them mate away from the water, then come to water for oviposition in tandem by noon. Oviposition can happen either in tandem or alone. The female drop eggs from air into open water or on moss (Paulson 2009).

Aquatic nymphs feed on many small soft body arthropods and vertebrates in water. Terrestrial flying adults feed on many small and soft bodied flying insects (Lung and Sommer 2001).