California Spreadwing

On 16 September 2019, a California Spreadwing flew between perches along Olympia’s Capitol Lake. You may recall my recent account of our finding this species for the first time, when David and I found an early-flying, immature female. This spreadwing is an adult. Males of this Western damselfly are usually found near water and “often conspicuously perch in open on dead twigs, and defend small territories” (Paulson 2009). Females lay eggs in plant twigs, even a few feet above the water. When not defending territory or laying eggs, California Spreadwings can be found far from water.