American rubyspot
Unlike most damselflies, which favor still ponds, adults of this species perch along fast flowing streams and rivers instead.
| Where | Streams and rivers with vegetation |
|---|---|
| Size | 38 to 46 mm body length |
| When | April to October |
The American rubyspot is a damselfly with a body length of about 38 to 46 mm. Males have a lustrous red head and thorax, a large red spot at the base of each clear wing, and an iridescent green abdomen, while females are duller green or copper with faint amber wing spots.
Unlike most damselflies, adults favor flowing water, perching on shoreline plants along streams and rivers with moderate to fast current rather than still ponds. Nymphs live among submerged roots and debris in the current, and adults fly from April into October.
Traits
Habitat
Wetland
Colour
Red, Green
Active
Day
To people
Harmless to people; adults rarely stray far from the moving water they favor.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Wings are duller on the underside with less vivid thoracic stripes than the American rubyspot, and it flies later in the year, from August into September.
Questions
Is the American rubyspot dangerous to people?
Harmless to people; adults rarely stray far from the moving water they favor.
When can you see the American rubyspot?
The American rubyspot can be seen from April to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by bradyreed, CC0, iNaturalist Licence
Report a mistake in this entry
Dragonflies and damselflies›Demoiselles›Hetaerina
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.