Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly
CR

Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly

Megalagrion nesiotes

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalagrion_nesiotes

Overview

Megalagrion nesiotes is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. Its common name is flying earwig Hawaiian damselfly. In the past, the flying earwig Hawaiian damselfly lived on the islands of Hawaii and Maui, in the U.S.

state of Hawaii. Currently, there is only one population left in east Maui. Limited distribution and small population size make this species especially vulnerable to habitat loss and exotic species invasion.

The flying earwig Hawaiian damselfly was last found in 2005. Little is known about this species because of the lack of observation. In 2010, the species was federally listed as an endangered species in the United States.

Megalagrion nesiotes faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion across its limited Hawaiian range. Introduced predatory fish and aquatic invertebrates have disrupted the delicate stream ecosystems this damselfly depends upon for reproduction. Climate change-induced alterations to precipitation patterns threaten the consistent water flow required for larval development in native Hawaiian streams.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic Hawaiian damselfly inhabits pristine native streams and associated riparian vegetation in montane forests. The species requires clean, flowing freshwater with stable temperatures and minimal human disturbance for successful breeding and larval development.

Forest· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· major

Other threatened species in COENAGRIONIDAE

VU

Pseudagrion samoense

Stable
VU

Green-fronted Bluet

Africallagma quingentum

Unknown
VU

Luzonobasis glauca

Declining
VU

Pseudagrion coarctatum

Unknown

Threatened in United States

VU

Lepiota echinella

Unknown
VU

Paddlefish

Polyodon spathula

Unknown
VU

Copper Shark

Carcharhinus brachyurus

Declining
EN

Lyophyllum deliberatum

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly classified as Critically Endangered?
Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Megalagrion nesiotes faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion across its limited Hawaiian range. Introduced predatory fish and aquatic invertebrates have disrupted the delicate stream ecosystems this damselfly depends upon for reproduction. Climate change-induced alterations to precipitation patterns threaten the consistent water flow required for larval development in native Hawaiian streams.
Where does Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly live?
Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly occurs in United States. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly?
The main threats to Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly are 11.2, 8.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.