The Great Spreadwing is well named. It is very large for a damselfly, at 2 inches or more! Most spreadwings are around 1.5 inches long, and most pond damsels are only around an inch.

Photo on right:  Male perched. Note how it perches at an angle. Also note the prominent yellow stripe on the side of the thorax.

Photo below:  Side view of male. The thorax color is a mixture of brown and green (except for the yellow stripe). Thorax normally appears dark - it's overexposed in this photo.

The female Great Spreadwing is also large - about the same length as the male. Her abdomen tends to appear more patterned than the male's.

Photo on right:  Closeup of thorax. Female's thorax also has yellow stripe and mixture of brown & green, but isn't as dark as male's.

Photo on left:  Closeup of ovipositor (egg-laying apparatus at end of abdomen).