Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) (Burmeister, 1839) |
Synonyms: Agrion fumipenne, Argia obscura, Violet Dancer |
Argia fumipennis is native to temperate North America east of the Rocky Mountains; south to eastern Mexico and Florida. Three subspecies. These damselflies are found near well-vegetated streams, fens, ponds, and ditches. Variable and sexually dimorphic. The head, thorax and abdomen are violet or lavender in males. Females are brown. Black stripes on the thorax in both sexes. The wings are clear in the Violet Dancer (A. f. violacea), brownish in the Smoky-winged Dancer (A. f. fumipennis) of the southeast, and black in the Black Dancer (A. f. atra) of Florida. Length 29-35 mm. This species flies in spring and summer.