Smoky Rubyspot Hetaerina titia (Drury, 1773)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Odonata   >   Family Calopterygidae   >   Genus Hetaerina   

Status:

Smoky Rubyspot was long presumed extirpated from its former range along sections of the Potomac River due to a lack of records since the 1970s. However, a single individual was photographed along the Potomac at Glen Echo (R. Orr), followed by a sighting along the Potomac in Washington Co. in September 2022 (J. Moore et al.). It seems hopeful that more effort will yield additional sightings and confirm one or more populations.

Smoky Rubyspot is active in late summer from about August to October in this region. It often perches fairly high on vegetation overhanging the water and appears to favor shaded sections of slower water over the riffles preferred by American Rubyspot (Paulson, 2011).

There are 6 records in the project database.

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A Smoky Rubyspot in Washington Co., Maryland (9/1/2022). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A Smoky Rubyspot in Uvalde Co., Texas (7/25/2010). Photo by Steve Collins. (MBP list)

A Smoky Rubyspot in Uvalde Co., Texas (7/25/2010). Photo by Steve Collins. (MBP list)

Smoky Rubyspot in Hidalgo Co., Texas (12/2/2011). Photo by Rick Cheicante. (MBP list)


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