Dark bands run up and down from the back fading into the belly. Bluegills are a member of the sunfish family. Spawning takes place from April to September. The male picks a good spot and makes a nest. After the female lays her eggs, the male guards the eggs and newly hatched young.
Bluegills like to build their nests around other bluegill nests.
Sometimes there are so many nests that the nest beds touch and look like honeycombs. Spiders, insects, crayfish, fish eggs, and other small fish are their favorite foods. Young bluegill often become food for larger fish, birds and water snakes. Easy to catch, bluegills make a good pan fish. They are often the first fish that a young fisherman catches.