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The Wild Pest
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Dragonflies & Damselflies

Aerial predators with 360° vision — older than dinosaurs.

19 on file

On File
A globe skimmer dragonfly (Pantala flavescens) in flight, golden body and clear wings.
Beneficial
Six Legs80
Alias
Pantala flavescens

Globe Skimmer Dragonfly

Longest insect migration on Earth (18,000 km). 95% kill rate. 360-degree vision.

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On File
An ebony jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx maculata), iridescent metallic blue-green body with jet-black wings folded above.
Beneficial
Six Legs72
Alias
Calopteryx maculata

Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly

Dragonfly's slender cousin. 200 million years old. Iridescent metallic body, midnight black wings.

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On File
A male calico pennant dragonfly (Celithemis elisa), small dragonfly with intricate amber-brown-and-clear wing patterns and bright red abdominal spots, four wings spread, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs74
Alias
Celithemis elisa

Calico Pennant

Small NA dragonfly with intricate STAINED-GLASS WING PATTERNS. Perches on twigs like a tiny flag or pennant.

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On File
A male variable dancer damselfly (Argia fumipennis), slim purple-violet damselfly with distinctive smoky-tinted wings, four narrow wings folded above the back, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs74
Alias
Argia fumipennis

Variable Dancer

Stream-side dancer damselfly. Distinctive jerky 'DANCING' flight pattern. Color-variable.

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On File
A male eastern amberwing dragonfly (Perithemis tenera), tiny dragonfly with brilliant tinted amber wings, four wings spread, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs74
Alias
Perithemis tenera

Eastern Amberwing

Smallest NA dragonfly. Bright AMBER WINGS. WASP-MIMIC — pumps abdomen up and down like a wasp.

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On File
A dragonhunter dragonfly (Hagenius brevistylus), large dark brown-and-yellow clubtail dragonfly with massive enlarged terminal abdominal segments, four wings spread, side profile.
Outlaw
Six Legs80
Alias
Hagenius brevistylus

Dragonhunter

Largest clubtail in NA. Hunts and eats other DRAGONFLIES. Apex predator of NA freshwater systems.

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On File
A male ebony jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx maculata), brilliant metallic emerald-green-and-blue body with completely black wings, four wings folded above the back, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs74
Alias
Calopteryx maculata

Ebony Jewelwing

Brilliant METALLIC GREEN BODY with completely BLACK WINGS. NA cousin to the banded demoiselle.

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On File
A male common whitetail dragonfly (Plathemis lydia), chalky-white abdomen with broad dark brown wing bands at the middle of each wing, four wings spread, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs72
Alias
Plathemis lydia

Common Whitetail

Males have CHALKY-WHITE abdomens. Flicked at rivals as territorial displays. Females look like a different species.

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On File
A male eastern forktail damselfly (Ischnura verticalis), slim dark damselfly with green-and-black thoracic stripes, dark abdomen, and bright blue tail tip, four narrow wings folded above the back, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs70
Alias
Ischnura verticalis

Eastern Forktail

Most ABUNDANT damselfly in eastern NA. Females have THREE color morphs. Female-mimics-male strategy.

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On File
An eastern pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis), brilliant emerald-green female with bold black markings on the abdomen, four wings spread, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs73
Alias
Erythemis simplicicollis

Eastern Pondhawk

Eats other dragonflies. EMERALD-GREEN females, POWDER-BLUE males. Most aggressive NA pond predator.

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On File
A twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella), large dragonfly with bluish body and four wings each marked with three dark brown spots in alternating bands and white flash patches between, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs71
Alias
Libellula pulchella

Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

12 dark wing spots in alternating bands. Males develop white 'flash' patches. NA flagship dragonfly.

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On File
A male azure bluet damselfly (Coenagrion puella), brilliant azure-blue body with dramatic black abdominal markings, four narrow wings folded above the back, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs71
Alias
Coenagrion puella

Azure Bluet Damselfly

Brilliant azure-blue damselfly. Famous 'mating wheel' posture during copulation.

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On File
A brown hawker dragonfly (Aeshna grandis), large bronze-brown body with heavily tinted amber-bronze wings, four wings spread, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs74
Alias
Aeshna grandis

Brown Hawker

European hawker dragonfly with HEAVILY-TINTED AMBER WINGS visible in flight. 8 cm body, hours of patrol.

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On File
A male blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura elegans), slender dark damselfly with bright blue tail spot on the eighth abdominal segment, four narrow wings folded above the back.
Beneficial
Six Legs75
Alias
Ischnura elegans

Blue-Tailed Damselfly

Females come in THREE distinct color morphs. Some imitate males to avoid male harassment.

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On File
A male flame skimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata), entirely brilliant flame-red body with dramatically orange-tinted wings, perched on a stem.
Beneficial
Six Legs73
Alias
Libellula saturata

Flame Skimmer

Brilliant flame-red dragonfly of western North America. Major desert mosquito predator.

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On File
A male banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens), iridescent metallic blue-green body with dramatic dark blue iridescent band across each of four narrow wings.
Beneficial
Six Legs75
Alias
Calopteryx splendens

Banded Demoiselle

Damselfly with iridescent dark blue wing band. Water-quality indicator. Elaborate courtship dance.

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On File
A common green darner dragonfly (Anax junius), large body with apple-green thorax and blue-and-black abdomen, four translucent wings spread, dorsal view.
Beneficial
Six Legs80
Alias
Anax junius

Common Green Darner

Largest North American dragonfly (8 cm). Multi-generational 1,500+ km migration. Apple-green thorax.

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On File
A male emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator), large dragonfly with apple-green thorax and brilliant sky-blue abdomen with black dorsal stripe, four large translucent wings spread.
Beneficial
Six Legs77
Alias
Anax imperator

Emperor Dragonfly

Largest dragonfly in Europe. 95% hunting success. Eats prey in flight. Brilliant sky-blue abdomen.

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On File
A globe skimmer dragonfly (Pantala flavescens), translucent yellow-orange wings spread, slender brown body with large compound eyes.
Beneficial
Six Legs81
Alias
Pantala flavescens

Globe Skimmer Dragonfly

Longest insect migration on Earth — 18,000 km. Crosses the Indian Ocean. Truly global panmictic species.

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