Field Guide

Land Invertebrates

Showing 11 - 20 of 26 results
Side view of ebony jewelwing resting on a plant stalk
Ebony Jewelwing
Calopteryx maculata
The ebony jewelwing is a beautiful iridescent green or turquoise damselfly with large black wings. It flutters around streams in wooded areas.
Photo of a Widow Skimmer dragonfly, male
Widow Skimmer
Libellula luctuosa
The widow skimmer has distinctive dark wing markings that seem like mourning garb. Mature males have white areas in the center of their wings, beside the dark patches, while females and immature males lack the white patches.
Photo of a male Banded Pennant dragonfly
Banded Pennant
Celithemis fasciata
The banded pennant is a small dragonfly (to about 1½ inch long) with distinctive black markings and reddish eyes.
A spinyleg dragonfly, possibly a southeastern spinyleg clubtail, closeup.
Spinyleg Clubtails
Dromogomphus spp.
Spinyleg clubtails are dragonflies in genus Dromogomphus. There are at least three species that look very similar.
Photo of a Cobra Clubtail dragonfly
Cobra Clubtail
Gomphurus vastus
The cobra clubtail is in the family of dragonflies called clubtails, named for the enlarged abdomen tip. There are about 100 species in this dragonfly family in North America north of Mexico.
Common green darner dragonfly perched on a dried flowering stalk, viewed from above
Common Green Darner
Anax junius
The common green darner is abundant and well-known for its bright green, blue, and purple colors. A large dragonfly up to 3 inches long, it is a migratory species that travels south in autumn.
Calico pennant dragonfly perched on a twig
Calico Pennant
Celithemis elisa
The calico pennant is a colorful, beautifully marked dragonfly. Males have pink wing veins and females have yellow. Males have a row of bright reddish heart-shapes on the abdomen; females have yellow.
Halloween pennant perched on the tip of a dried flowering stalk
Halloween Pennant
Celithemis eponina
The Halloween pennant is one of the more common members of its genus. Distinctive wing markings include a complete brown band (not just a spot) positioned just short of the wing tip.
Photo of an Eastern Amberwing dragonfly, Male
Eastern Amberwing
Perithemis tenera
The eastern amberwing is a tiny species of dragonfly that only reaches about 1 inch in length. Each of the four amber-colored wings has a red spot on the outer leading edge.
Photo of an Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, female
Eastern Pondhawk
Erythemis simplicicollis
The eastern pondhawk is a common and well-known large dragonfly of ponds and other standing water. Females are green with dark-banded abdomen. Mature males are blue with green face and thorax.
See Also
Photo of a Yellow-Collared Scape Moth
Yellow-Collared Scape Moth
Cisseps fulvicollis
The yellow-collared scape moth is more often “orange-collared.” And whether you think it looks more like a firefly or a wasp, it’s still a moth!
image of Plume Moth on blade of grass
Plume Moths
Nearly 150 species in North America north of Mexico
Slim, delicate plume moths are instantly recognizable by their T-shaped silhouette, long legs, and muted shades of tan and brown. It can be hard to separate the various species.
Photo of an Isabella Tiger Moth
Isabella Tiger Moth (Woolly Bear; Woolly Worm)
Pyrrharctia isabella
Not many people know the adult Isabella tiger moth when they see one, but we’re all acquainted with its caterpillar, the woolly worm, or woolly bear.

About Land Invertebrates in Missouri

Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods. Arthropods—invertebrates with “jointed legs” — are a group of invertebrates that includes crayfish, shrimp, millipedes, centipedes, mites, spiders, and insects. There may be as many as 10 million species of insects alive on earth today, and they probably constitute more than 90 percent all animal species.