Lyre-tipped Spreadwing

Notes:

This chiefly northern species is found commonly throughout the United States and southern Canada. The head of the male is black with metallic copper or green luster that is generally obscured with age. The middorsal and antealar carinae are pale. There is a thin pale yellow or green antehumeral stripe extending 2/3-4/5 the length of the humeral suture. The mesepimeron is mostly black. The yellow or pale green metepisternum is divided into an anterior spot and a posterior stripe by a black diagonal stripe. The metepimeron is pale in young individuals, darkening with age. Distinct black lines are present on the outside of the femora and tibiae. The abdomen is relatively short among the spreadwings and is dark metallic green dorsally and pale yellow or blue ventrolaterally. The dark ventrolateral markings are faint on segments 5 and 6, becoming more pronounced posteriorly. The tip of the abdomen becomes pruinose with age. The general color pattern of the female is similar to the male only paler throughout. The pale yellow antehumeral stripe extends the full-length of the humeral suture. There are dark triangular markings on the posterodorsal corners of the metepisternum on the otherwise pale metathorax. The color pattern of the abdomen is similar to males, but the tip doesn't become pruinose. There is a distinct posterolateral tooth present on the basal plate of the ovipositor.