Complete Guide To The Variable Dancer Damselfly

Variable Dancer Damselfly Notes

• Look for Variable Dancer damselflies throughout North Carolina in and around vegetation surrounding freshwater ponds and lakes.
• As is implied by this damselfly’s common English name, this species varies in appearance across its full range.
  • Scientists have identified several sub-species but individuals of different sub-species interbreed where their ranges overlap (Paulson 2011).
  • Variable Dancer damselflies in North Carolina have darker wings than some of the other sub-species.
• Damselflies and dragonflies are heavily parasitized by a variety of parasites, including larval water mites.
  • Larval water mites attack adult odonates and dissolve their body tissues. The mites then feed on the dissolved tissue and the insects’ hemolymph.
  • Different odonate species seem to be more susceptible to gaining parasites than others.
  • Damsel and dragonflies try to fight off parasite infestation by walling off the mites, which then causes the mites to starve.
    • Argia fumipennis (Variable Dancers) was “one of the most heavily parasitized species in our study, with a prevalence rate of 20.2%”, and “exhibited the greatest resistance prevalence (90%) and resistance intensity (98%)” (Worthen and Hart 2016, https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iew022).