Hine's emerald

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Hine's emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) is an endangered insect found in parts of the United States and Canada. It lives in wetlands, marshes, and streams, often near crayfish burrows that its young use for shelter. The species is legally protected in the United States and Canada.

Where it lives and how it looks
- Current US range: Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin. In Canada, it is found in Ontario.
- Historically it lived in Ohio, Indiana, and Alabama, but it’s not known to occur there anymore in recent years.
- Adults are about 2.5 inches long with a wingspan around 3.5 inches. They have a dark green thorax with two yellow stripes, and their eyes turn emerald green after a few days of adulthood.
- Nymphs (larvae) are aquatic and look like other dragonfly nymphs. They grow in shallow, moving water and may live in crayfish burrows for protection.

Life cycle and behavior
- Hine's emeralds go through egg, aquatic larva, and winged adult stages. The larval stage lasts about 2–4 years, depending on food, water depth, and temperature.
- Adults emerge in late spring to early summer and live about 4–6 weeks.
- Males build and defend small territories near water. Females mate after entering a male’s territory, then lay fertilized eggs in shallow water. They reproduce only once and die soon after.

Diet and hunting
- Larvae are predators in the water, feeding on aquatic larvae like mosquitoes and mayflies.
- Adults catch small flying insects (such as mosquitoes and gnats) in flight, often along forest edges.

Habitat needs and threats
- Preferred habitats include slow-moving, mineral-rich streams, wetlands, ponds, open and wooded areas, and places with crayfish burrows.
- Dispersal paths often follow roads, clearings, streams, and railways.
- Major threats are habitat loss and changes to water flow, pollution, invasive plants (which can reduce crayfish and alter habitat), and development.
- Other pressures come from beavers, feral hogs, and armadillos that can damage habitat, as well as human activities like quarrying, filling wetlands, landfills, and pesticide use.

Conservation status and efforts
- In the United States, Hine's emerald has been protected under the Endangered Species Act since the mid-1990s.
- In Canada, it is listed as endangered in Ontario.
- There are recovery plans that divide populations into Northern and Southern units with multiple subpopulations. The goals include protecting habitats, restoring water conditions, monitoring populations, and searching for undiscovered populations.
- IUCN currently lists the species as Least Concern (as of 2018), but national and regional protections remain crucial to its survival.

Quick facts
- Estimated global population runs in the tens of thousands, with a large concentration historically in Wisconsin’s Door County.
- Protecting wetland habitats and maintaining healthy water systems are key to keeping Hine's emeralds thriving.