Over the past few weeks, I've been checking suspected locations for Smoky Rubyspot (H. titia) along the Rouge River in Wayne County, Michigan. Today, under cloudy skies and a temperature of 60F, I finally succeeded at Levan Knoll!
The west end of this area has a one-lane bridge and is just downstream of a high quality water area identified by Friends of the Rouge. Upon arrival at the riverbank, three American Rubyspots (H. americana) flew up. Here is one of the males:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALDx4An12Y6ZUY7aFwstfFRjam0H8eZc4ihx1s5KV99PaBmtmG5ykown3XW580UZxY3b8U-2D0Rc0lJSn7E98T7RIWqLQ4RvzCQSa9kKR4lMiPgKvAEW3oQqFJ9NAaaccXO7OMw/s400/5024278882_8b6a57a5d6.jpg)
On the opposite bank, a downed tree and gravel bank provided good perching opportunities for more rubyspots. Then I saw saw the true habitat requirement for H. titia... a half-submerged barrel:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDpWbNY3IKhy8AL3NPSPXtFyQSRtcaFACk28x_6HByhF3BDFC1CKnPDZmEJMGzqHBtgcijqb9Xyg0XEXYB4fONM0zatUjKSgFSOZBztowsJdJKSByqDbitTYCyk_4jRm0npDFrw/s400/5024279848_7b198a649b.jpg)
I turned around, walked a few feet, and flushed a male Smoky Rubyspot (H. titia) from a grapevine! It perched over the river on a leaf, just out of reach:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXqlJqjmNOG084-z_tqLMcpaSdP1V5KNXGxI9lujEjo0WCjBKlrCdyCBhRPL3dUhdAqgMhOh0BTTY9E83vOjdkgqeKvzVB0rp6aHSspwpumhI2qoG89WuqGg4W4IaK3xW-ATebQ/s320/5023671221_1e3d36a746_m.jpg)
After some time, it moved back over to the grapevine:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfK95CDIAUDSzNrpORv4RAybaoiboYiSrntliibd0wR4_6rcyMgK-gcrjPV6inycVg0Sb2DK4BPRo0LNNhuIM6AtyVPfQZQrE3ts6Vv1BcHhdIE8KNFV0DHkFJossS00-7imRp7w/s400/5023671705_2c1ccfbcf5.jpg)
This species has now been confirmed on three rivers in Wayne County, Michigan (Detroit River, Huron River, Rouge River).