Dragonflies

The Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) is a medium sized, 24-45 mm dragonfly that can be found throughout the United States, Canada and the Bahamas. Their thorax and abdomen are covered with black and yellow segmented strips, with black edges to the wings and tip of abdomen. They have a white face, and as the males near maturity they develop a blue color. They are common near pockets of still water such as marshes and ponds. View more information about the Blue Dasher.

The Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) is a large, 68-73 mm dragonfly found is a primarily tropical species that has recently expanded its range into central and southern Florida. They have smoky blue eyes and a green thorax with dark brown stripes. They can be found in wooded margins of lakes and ponds. View more information about the Blue-faced Darner.

The Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) is a small, 30-35 mm dragonfly that can be found throughout North and South America. They have a bright blue face with blue eyes, a thorax with black and blue stripes, and a dark abdomen covered with blue rings. They can be observed in most aquatic habitats such as rivers, lakes, and ditches. View more information about the Blue-ringed Dancer.

The Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) is a tiny, 21-24 mm dragonfly that can be found throughout most of the eastern United States. They have a brown abdomen with yellow rings. The males display beautiful orange - or - amber-colored wings with red stigmas, whereas the females display brown colored wings with red stigmas. They can be found in still bodies of water such as lakes and ponds. View more information about the Eastern Amberwing.

The Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) is a large, 40-45 mm dragonfly that can be found from Quebec through the Eastern United States. The males and females have a green thorax and eyes, with an abdomen of black spots when they are young. As they enter adulthood the males develop a powder-blue abdomen with a green thorax and face. They can be found in still bodies of water as well as slow bodies of water such as lakes and ponds. View more information about the Eastern Pondhawk.

The Four-spotted Pennant (Brachymesia gravida) is a mid-sized, 50-60 mm dragonfly found throughout North America. They have dark eyes and abdomen with a black thorax, dark spots with soft edges on each wing. They can be found in sunny areas with bodies of still or slow-moving water. View more information about the Four-spotted Pennant.

The Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) is a tiny, 21-29 mm dragonfly that can be found across the Eastern United States and Mexico, as well as in Southeastern Canada. The males and females both have clear wings as well as black iridescent markings on the top of the thorax. These delicate insects are easy to approach and even when disturbed will settle again very quickly. The males are green in color and the females are blue. They can be found in grassy habitats near still or slow-moving bodies of water. View more information about the Fragile Forktail.

The Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) is a small 30.5-43.2 mm dragonfly that can be found across the Eastern United States, Colorado, Cuba, the Bahamas, Canada and Mexico. The young males and females display a yellow face and thorax, with a black abdomen which has a yellow dorsal stripe. As the males mature they develop a reddish color throughout the entire body. The most attractive features of this dragonfly are the beautiful wings, which are a yellow or red color with a series of distinct black stripes and white veins. They can be found in grassy habitats near still or slow-moving bodies of water. View more information about the Halloween Pennant.

The Little Blue Dragonlet (Erthrodiplax minuscula) is a small, 22-27 mm dragonfly that can be found throughout the Southeastern United States, extending sometimes even into New York. Females and young males have a yellow thorax and yellow-and-black-marked abdomen ending with a black tip. They have clear wings with black veins. Mature males display a metallic-blue color with the abdomen being segmented by black lines. They can be found in still or slow-moving bodies of water. View more information about the Little Blue Dragonlet.

The Marl Pennant (Macrodiplax balteata) is a small, 37-42 mm dragonfly found throughout the Northern United States and extending into Texas, Florida, and Mexico. The males are distinguished from the females as they are completely black with black spots on the wings, whereas the females have a white face and yellow-to-dark-orange color on the abdomen. They can be found in still or slow-moving bodies of brackish water. View more information about the Marl Pennant.

The Needham's Skimmer (Libellula needami) is a midsized, 53-57 mm dragonfly that ranges throughout Central and North America as well as the Caribbean. Females have a yellow head, thorax, wings and abdomen with a black stripe. Young males are golden-yellow with a black stripe on the abdomen, but as they mature they turn a deep reddish color with golden wings. They can be found in still or slow-moving bodies of water surrounded by thick vegetation. View more information about Needham's Skimmer.

The Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebja) is a small, 41-49 mm dragonfly found throughout North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. They have a dark face and eyes, with a black thorax and abdomen and clear wings. They can be found along still or slow-moving bodies of water. View more information about the Pin-tailed Pondhawk.

The Regal Darner (Coryphaeschna ingens) is a large, 85-90 mm dragonfly found throughout North America, the Bahamas and Cuba. The females have green eyes as juveniles but as they mature the eyes become blue. They also have a green thorax covered with brown stipes, and a segmented green abdomen with black rings. Their clear wings are covered with black veins. They can be found associated with still or slow moving bodies of water surrounded by thick vegetation. View more information about the Regal Darner.

The Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) is a small, 46-55 mm dragonfly that ranges from the Southern United States to Brazil. The males have a light purple thorax with a vibrant pink abdomen, connected to a shiny purple face with burgundy eyes. The females have a yellow to golden-brown color and black-to-pink wings. They can be found near still or slow moving water surrounded by thick and overhanging vegetation. View more information about the Roseate Skimmer.