American Rubyspots (Hetaerina americana) along the Little Miami River

...continued from the previous post (click here).

Flashy male and female American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) damselflies were even more abundant than the Powdered Dancers (Argia moesta) featured in the previous post. Everywhere I looked the striking red metallic males were either flying over the water or perching on water willow (Justicia americana), their telltale ruby red wing spots easily giving them away...

The red metallic thorax and head of the male American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) damselfly flashed in the early evening sun. I was videoing the damselflies that night instead of photographing them. I wish I had taken a few good photos so I could have gone back to study the detail of the yellowish-gold sutures and the yellow veining that shows in the gorgeous red wing patches. This photo was an accident. I toggled the video switch off without realizing it. Wish I had taken a few photos instead of just videos (but I wanted to capture their movements so I could watch them in the winter)!

Male American Rubyspot damselflies along the Little Miami River. It was so nice to just sit and watch these jewel-toned damselflies. The sun was still very warm and the cicadas very loud, their song racing through the river valley in waves...

(If the video does not show on your screen, click here for a direct link to Vimeo.)

Female American Rubyspots are just as charming as the males, but they shine with orange and green highlights instead of the deep ruby red.

(If the video does not show on your screen, click here for a direct link to Vimeo.)

I took these videos on July 30, 2011 between 7:00 and 7:45 p.m. along the Little Miami River in Warren County. This area of the Little Miami Trail near the powder factory is an excellent place to watch damselflies. It's easy to get down to the rocky banks there, and massive patches of water willow can be found...both of which attract these beautiful insects.