Southern Sprite Guide - New York Natural Heritage Program

Male Southern Sprites are metallic green on top of their thorax and a dark, iridescent green on the top of their abdomen. The exceptions are abdominal segments 9 and 10, which are mostly blue, with a dark, "fang-like" pattern on segment 9. They are 0.8-1 inch long and are the smallest sprites in the northeast, on average (Lam 2004). Females are also metallic green on top, with yellow or blue thoracic sides, and pale blue on the top of abdominal segment 10. The rear edge of the prothorax is smoothly rounded and lacks any lobes.

Southern Sprite Images

click to enlarge

The Best Time to See

New York records indicate that the species may be observed on Long Island between June 27 and July 27 (Donnelly 1999, New York Natural Heritage Program 2010). In New Jersey, they have been documented from June 8 through August 11 (Bangma & Barlow 2010).

Present

Reproducing

The time of year you would expect to find Southern Sprite present (blue shading) and reproducing (orange shading) in New York.

Similar Species

Sedge Sprite (Nehalennia irene)

Abdominal segments 8 and 9 of the Sedge Sprite are mostly blue, while segment 8 is dark above in male Southern Sprites and segments 8 and 9 are dark above on the female. The female Sedge Sprite has three distinct lobes on the rear edge of the prothorax, while the female Southern Sprite has a smooth, rounded prothorax without lobes.
Sphagnum Sprite (Nehalennia gracilis)

Abdominal segments 9 and 10 are blue, and 8 is blue with a dark base for male Sphagnum Sprites,while the female has segments 8-10 blue with 8 & 9 showing dark spots at the segment bases. In Southern Sprites,segment 8 is dark above and segments 8 and 9 are dark above on the female. Female Sphagnum Sprites have a rear edge of the prothorax with two wide lobes, while the female Southern Sprite has a smooth, rounded prothorax without lobes.

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© 2004-2012 New York Natural Heritage Program, a partnership between
the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and
the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Please cite this page as:
New York Natural Heritage Program. 2013. Online Conservation Guide for Nehalennia integricollis. Available from: http://acris.nynhp.org/guide.php?id=8353. Accessed May 23rd, 2013.