Damselfly
Guides
Amphiagrion
Red Damsels
Amphiagrion is a genus of small damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, endemic to North America. The genus contains two recognized species: Amphiagrion abbreviatum (western red damsel) and Amphiagrion saucium (eastern red damsel). Males exhibit bright red coloration with black markings; females are duller. The genus is notable for its association with geothermal springs and specific perching site requirements.
Amphiagrion abbreviatum
Western Red Damsel
Amphiagrion abbreviatum, the western red damsel, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It exhibits unusual habitat plasticity, occurring in both lentic and lotic freshwater systems. The species shows distinct perching and roosting behaviors that differ from sympatric congeners. It is widely distributed across western North America with stable populations.
Apanisagrion
A monotypic genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, containing the single species Apanisagrion lais. The genus is characterized by its distinctive black-and-white coloration and is restricted to the Neotropical region.
Apanisagrion lais
Black-and-white Damsel
Apanisagrion lais is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as the Black-and-white Damsel. It is the sole species in its genus and is recognized by its distinctive black-and-white coloration. The species occurs in Middle America and North America, with observations documented across its range.
Archilestes grandis
Great Spreadwing
Archilestes grandis, commonly known as the Great Spreadwing, is a large damselfly in the family Lestidae. It is one of the largest damselfly species in North America, often mistaken for a dragonfly due to its substantial size. The species is widespread across much of the United States and extends into Mexico and Central America. When startled, individuals frequently return to the same perch or one nearby.
Argia
Dancers
Argia is the largest and most diverse genus in the damselfly subfamily Argiinae, comprising approximately 114 described species with additional species awaiting description. Members are commonly known as "dancers" due to their characteristic jerky, erratic flight pattern. The genus is restricted to the Western Hemisphere, with species ranging from North America through Central and South America and the Caribbean. Despite the genus name deriving from Greek for "laziness," these damselflies are notably active and alert predators. The genus has been subject to extensive taxonomic revision, with multiple revisions published between 1994 and 2022.
Argia agrioides
California Dancer
Argia agrioides, commonly known as the California Dancer, is a damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae native to western North America. The species ranges from Oregon south through California to Arizona and into adjacent parts of Mexico. Like other members of the genus Argia, it exhibits the characteristic jerky, bouncing flight pattern that gives these damselflies their common name of "dancers."
Argia anceps
Cerulean Dancer
Argia anceps, commonly known as the cerulean dancer, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. The species was described by Rosser Garrison in 1996 and is found in Central America. Its IUCN conservation status is Least Concern with a stable population.
Argia apicalis
Blue-fronted Dancer
Argia apicalis, commonly known as the Blue-fronted Dancer, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae native to North America. First described by Thomas Say in 1840, it is a common and widespread species assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. The species exhibits notable color polymorphism, with males occurring in bright blue and gray-black phases and females in brown, turquoise, and gray-black phases. Color changes are multi-directional and not tied to age or mating status. Males use thoracic color patterns for sex recognition, with brown females eliciting the strongest sexual response. The species shows distinctive geographical variation in thoracic stripe patterns, with broad-striped forms in the southeastern United States and typical forms elsewhere.
Argia barretti
Comanche Dancer
Argia barretti, the Comanche Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern with a stable population. As a member of the genus Argia, it belongs to the largest genus in the subfamily Argiinae, comprising approximately 114 species in the Western Hemisphere.
Argia bipunctulata
seepage dancer
Argia bipunctulata, commonly known as the seepage dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to North America and holds a conservation status of Least Concern (LC) according to the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival. As a member of the genus Argia—the largest genus in the subfamily Argiinae—this species exhibits the characteristic "dancing" flight pattern typical of its congeners.
Argia cuprea
Coppery Dancer
Argia cuprea, commonly known as the coppery dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. The species is widely distributed across the Americas, occurring in Central America, North America, and South America. It was first described by Hagen in 1861. The IUCN lists this species as Least Concern with a stable population, last assessed in 2018.
Argia emma
Emma's Dancer
Argia emma, commonly known as Emma's Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is found in North America. The species has been assessed by the IUCN as Least Concern (LC) with a stable population and no immediate threats to survival.
Argia fumipennis
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis, commonly known as the Variable Dancer, is a damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae native to North America. The species exhibits notable geographic variation in coloration, with eastern populations typically displaying violet thoracic coloration while western populations tend toward blue. It is a widespread and frequently observed species, with nearly 30,000 documented observations on iNaturalist.
Argia fumipennis atra
Black Dancer
Argia fumipennis atra is a subspecies of damselfly commonly known as the Black Dancer. It belongs to the family Coenagrionidae and is currently treated as a synonym of Argia fumipennis. The subspecies was described by Gloyd in 1968 and is found in North America and Middle America, with confirmed presence in Vermont, USA. As a member of the genus Argia, it shares the typical characteristics of dancer damselflies, which are known for their distinctive wing-flicking behavior.
Argia funebris
Springwater Dancer
Argia funebris, commonly known as the Springwater Dancer, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. The genus Argia is speciose and widely distributed in the New World tropics and subtropics. As a member of the suborder Zygoptera, this species exhibits the characteristic slender body and wings folded together over the abdomen when at rest. The species has been documented across Middle America and has a global presence according to distribution records. Taxonomic revisions of the genus Argia have been conducted by leading odonate specialists including Rosser Garrison, who has published multiple revisions of this complex genus.
Argia hinei
Lavender Dancer
Argia hinei, commonly known as the Lavender Dancer, is a damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to the western United States and adjacent northern Mexico. The species belongs to the speciose genus Argia, which has been subject to extensive taxonomic revision by Rosser Garrison and colleagues.
Argia immunda
Kiowa Dancer
Argia immunda, the Kiowa dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern with a stable population. Like other members of the genus Argia, it is commonly referred to as a 'dancer' due to its distinctive flight pattern.
Argia lacrimans
Sierra Madre Dancer
Argia lacrimans, commonly known as the Sierra Madre Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is found in Central America and North America. The IUCN lists this species as Least Concern (LC) with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival. As a member of the genus Argia, it belongs to the largest genus in the subfamily Argiinae, which is characterized by distinctive jerky flight patterns that contrast with the direct flight of other damselfly groups.
Argia lugens
Sooty Dancer
Argia lugens, commonly known as the sooty dancer, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. The species occurs across Central America and North America. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to survival. The genus Argia is speciose and has been subject to extensive taxonomic revision by leading Odonata specialists.
Argia moesta
Powdered Dancer
Argia moesta, commonly known as the Powdered Dancer, is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae native to North America. Mature males develop a distinctive pale blue pruinosity—a waxy, powdery coating—over their bodies. The species is notable for its year-round activity in parts of its range and its tendency to form oviposition aggregations, where females select egg-laying sites based on the presence and posture of conspecifics.
Argia munda
Apache Dancer
Argia munda, commonly known as the Apache Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It was described by Calvert in 1902 and is distributed across Central America and North America. The species holds a Least Concern (LC) conservation status from the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival.
Argia nahuana
Aztec Dancer
Argia nahuana, commonly known as the Aztec Dancer, is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae. It is a member of the diverse genus Argia, which contains approximately 114 species in the Western Hemisphere. The species exhibits distinctive morphological features including a forked dark stripe on the side of the thorax and blue postocular spots.
Argia oenea
Fiery-eyed Dancer
Argia oenea, commonly known as the fiery-eyed dancer, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival. Like other members of the genus Argia, it is referred to as a 'dancer' due to its distinctive jerky flight pattern.
Argia rhoadsi
golden-winged dancer
Argia rhoadsi, commonly known as the golden-winged dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It was described by Calvert in 1902. The species is found in Central America and North America. Its IUCN conservation status is Least Concern (LC) with a stable population and no immediate threats to survival.
Argia tezpi
Tezpi Dancer
Argia tezpi, commonly known as the Tezpi Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It belongs to the speciose genus Argia, which contains approximately 114 species in the Western Hemisphere. The species is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival.
Argia tibialis
Blue-tipped Dancer
Argia tibialis, commonly known as the blue-tipped dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. The species is distributed across Central America and North America. It has been classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival.
Argia tonto
Tonto Dancer
Argia tonto, commonly known as the Tonto Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is found in Central America and North America. The IUCN lists this species as Least Concern with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival.
Argia translata
Dusky Dancer
Argia translata, commonly known as the Dusky Dancer, is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to eastern and southern North America and has also been documented in parts of Central and South America. The species is relatively well-observed, with over 11,000 records on iNaturalist, suggesting it is not uncommon in suitable habitats. As with other members of the genus Argia, it is associated with freshwater environments where it completes its aquatic larval development before emerging as a flying adult.
Calopterygidae
broad-winged damselflies, demoiselles, jewelwings
Calopterygidae is a family of damselflies in the suborder Zygoptera, containing approximately 150 species. Members are relatively large for damselflies, with wingspans of 50–80 mm, and are characterized by broad wings with wide bases, metallic coloration, and a distinctive flight pattern described as jerky and fluttering. The family is distributed across all continents except Antarctica, primarily associated with running water habitats.
Calopteryx
Jewelwings
Calopteryx is a genus of large damselflies in the family Calopterygidae, commonly known as jewelwings. Males typically display brightly colored wings while females usually have clear wings, though some females develop male-like (androchrome) wing characteristics. The genus lacks a pterostigma, a wing cell found in most other odonates. Species occupy distinct zones within running water systems, with differential thermal adaptations driving habitat segregation.
Calopteryx amata
Superb Jewelwing
Calopteryx amata, commonly known as the superb jewelwing, is a damselfly species in the family Calopterygidae. Native to North America, it occurs in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, with records extending south to Tennessee. As a member of the jewelwing group, it is characterized by the metallic wing coloration typical of the genus Calopteryx.
Calopteryx angustipennis
Appalachian jewelwing
Calopteryx angustipennis, the Appalachian jewelwing, is a large damselfly endemic to the eastern United States. It inhabits rocky rivers and streams with cold, fast-flowing water, particularly in woodland settings. Adults are active from spring through summer, with emergence timing varying by latitude.
Calopteryx dimidiata
Sparkling Jewelwing
Calopteryx dimidiata, commonly known as the sparkling jewelwing, is a small damselfly species endemic to the eastern and southeastern United States. It is one of the smallest members of the family Calopterygidae, measuring 37–50 mm in length. The species inhabits sandy forest streams with fast-flowing water, particularly acidic streams with abundant riverside vegetation. Adults are active from spring through autumn depending on latitude, with males defending small territories and engaging in ritualized courtship flights.
Chromagrion
aurora damsels
Chromagrion is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as aurora damsels. The genus contains a single described species, Chromagrion conditum. These insects are part of the pond damselfly family, which is one of the largest families within the Odonata order.
Chromagrion conditum
Aurora Damsel
Chromagrion conditum, commonly known as the Aurora Damsel, is the sole species in its genus. This small damselfly is distinguished by its striking coloration with bright yellow-green thorax and blue abdominal markings in males. It inhabits forested streams and seeps across eastern North America. The species is notable for its early spring emergence, often appearing before most other damselflies in its range.
Coenagrion
Eurasian Bluets, Northern Bluets
Coenagrion is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly called Eurasian Bluets or Northern Bluets. Species are generally medium-sized with bright coloration. While predominantly Eurasian in distribution, three species occur in North America: C. angulatum, C. interrogatum, and C. resolutum. The genus exhibits phenotypic plasticity in thermal adaptation, with high-latitude populations showing significant thermal adaptation capacity.
Coenagrion angulatum
Prairie Bluet
Coenagrion angulatum, the prairie bluet, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to North America. The species is listed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival. The conservation status was last reviewed in 2017.
Coenagrion resolutum
taiga bluet
Coenagrion resolutum, commonly known as the taiga bluet, is a damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. Males exhibit blue coloration with black dorsal markings on abdominal segments 3–5, while females appear greenish-blue to yellowish-green with nearly contiguous black dorsal markings. The species has been studied for its larval growth ecology, showing slower development compared to sympatric species like Lestes disjunctus.
Enallagma
bluets
Enallagma is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as bluets. Adults range from 28 to 40 mm in length. Males typically display bright blue and black coloration, while female coloration varies by species. The genus underwent taxonomic revision by Rosser Garrison in 1984. Several species have been studied for their responses to climate change and range expansion dynamics.
Enallagma anna
River Bluet
Enallagma anna, the river bluet, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. The species was described by Williamson in 1900. It is found in North America, specifically in southern Canada and the western and northeastern United States. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern with a stable population.
Enallagma annexum
Northern Bluet
Enallagma annexum, the northern bluet, is a small damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It was formerly considered conspecific with Enallagma cyathigerum but is now recognized as a distinct species. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in coloration, with males displaying blue thoracic and abdominal coloration and females showing greenish-yellow to brown tones.
Enallagma aspersum
Azure Bluet
Enallagma aspersum, commonly known as the azure bluet, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It occurs throughout North America in both Canada and the United States. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival.
Enallagma basidens
Double-striped Bluet
Enallagma basidens, commonly known as the Double-striped Bluet, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. Adults measure 21–28 mm in length. The species is distinguished by a unique black shoulder stripe divided by a thin blue line, a feature found in no other damselfly. It occurs across North America and Middle America.
Enallagma boreale
Boreal Bluet
Enallagma boreale, commonly known as the boreal bluet, is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to North America and has been long-established in western Canada, particularly in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Research has focused on its parasite-host relationships with gregarines and water mites, revealing sex-biased parasitism patterns where males typically show higher parasite prevalence than females. The species co-occurs with the range-expanding Enallagma clausum, and appears to experience ecological release from parasites when the novel host is present.
Enallagma cardenium
purple bluet
Enallagma cardenium, commonly known as the purple bluet, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It occurs in the Caribbean and North America. The species holds a Least Concern conservation status with stable populations.
Enallagma carunculatum
Tule Bluet
Enallagma carunculatum, commonly known as the tule bluet, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to North America and belongs to a genus that has been intensively studied by odonatologists, including taxonomic revisions by Rosser Garrison in 1984. As a member of the narrow-winged damselflies, it shares characteristics typical of the genus Enallagma, including slender bodies and aquatic larval stages. The species name 'carunculatum' refers to a small fleshy protuberance, likely describing a distinctive morphological feature.
Enallagma civile
Familiar Bluet
Enallagma civile, commonly known as the familiar bluet, is a narrowwinged damselfly native to much of the United States and southern Canada. This species is a habitat generalist and predatory insect that has been extensively studied as a model organism for understanding climate change effects on aquatic invertebrates. Research indicates that rising water temperatures significantly impact its development, survival, and adult body size, with temperatures above 38°C causing substantial mortality. The species produces multiple generations per year and serves as host to various parasites including Arrenurus water mites and gregarine protozoans.
Enallagma clausum
alkali bluet
Enallagma clausum, the alkali bluet, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to North America with a documented range expansion westward in western Canada. The species has been studied for parasite-host dynamics involving water mites and gregarines. Its IUCN conservation status is Least Concern with a stable population.
Enallagma concisum
Cherry Bluet
Enallagma concisum, commonly known as the cherry bluet, is a narrow-winged damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae. It is endemic to the Eastern United States, where it inhabits freshwater habitats. The species is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival. As a member of the genus Enallagma, it belongs to one of the most species-rich damselfly genera in North America.