About
Damselfly and Dragonfly Life List
Updated December 28, 2023
This is my list of all the dragonflies and damselflies I have photographed and attempted to identify.
Dragonflies and damselflies, the Odonata order, like birds and butterflies, exist just about everywhere, but appear inconsistently everywhere they inhabit. This makes them equally intriguing as a traveler's game in identification.
I am always amazed by the diversity of the odonata, and particularly the rich and vivid hues found on some species in areas where few other creatures are similarly exotically colored.
There is a growing number of resources for identifying and creating a life list of dragonflies and damselflies, but the interest and marketplace is still in its infancy. An iPhone app by the reliable Birdseye Apps, Dragonfly ID, shows promise for North American species, north of Mexico.
I've organized my sightings into two major groups:
Dragonfly Life List
Lance-tipped DarnerAeshna constricta, photograhed in Beaverton, Oregon
Pale Green DarnerTriacanthagyna septima, photographed at the Tambopata region of Peru
Mexican AmberwingPerithemis intensa female, photographed in Henderson, Nevada.
Flame SkimmerEnallagma cyathigerum from Organ Pipe National Monument, Arizona
Eight-Spotted SkimmerLibellula forensis, photographed in Beaverton, Oregon
Widow SkimmerLibellula luctuosa, photographed in Beaverton, Oregon
Western PondhawkErythemis collocata from Sauvie Island, Oregon
Pin-tailed PondhawkErythemis plebeja, photographed near Barranquilla, Colombia
Red PondhawkErythemis haematogastra, photographed near the Tambopata River region of Peru
Seaside DragonletErythrodiplax berenice from Playa Ancon, Cuba
Seaside Dragonlet Photo 2Erythrodiplax berenice from Playa Ancon, Cuba
Band-winged DragonletErythrodiplax umbrata from Abaco, Bahamas
Common WhitetailPlathemis lydia from Tualatin, Oregon
Variegated MeadowhawkSympetrum corruptum, photographed in Tualatin, Oregon. This is an adult female.
Eastern AmberwingPerithemis tenera, female, photographed in Delano, Minnesota
Blue-eyed DarnerAeshna multicolor, photographed at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington
Common Green DarnerAnax junius, Boyscout Island, Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. This female (which a dragonfly enthusiast friend noted has a bad case of water mites) has just captured a damselfly.
Halloween PennantCelithemis eponina, photographed in Central Minnesota. This striking dragonfly of Eastern North America is often confused with butterflies. The first photo is of a male, the second is a female.
Red-tailed PennantBrachymesia furcata, photographed in Camarones, La Guajira, Colombia.
Scarlet SkimmerCrocothemis servilia, photographed in Kauai, Hawaii. The first photo is a male, the second photo is a female.
Four-spotted SkimmerLibellula quadrimaculata, Crow-Hassan Park Reserve, Rogers, Minnesota
Twelve-spotted SkimmerLibellula pulchella, from Central Minnesota
First photo is of female. Second photo is of male.
Silver-sided SkimmerLibellula herculea, from Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Carmine SkipperOrthemis discolor, photographed in the Soberania Jungle, Panama
Black SaddlebagsTramea lacerata, photographed at Koll Wetlands, Oregon
Blue DasherPachydiplax longipennis, photographed at Koll Wetlands, Oregon
Black PetaltailTanypteryx hageni, photographed in the Jefferson Park Wilderness, Oregon
Pronghorn ClubtailPhanogomphus graslinellus, Crow-Hassan Park Reserve, Rogers, Minnesota
Southern DarterSympetrum meridionale, Paros Park, Paros, Greece
Pacific Clubtail, Phanogomphus kurilis, Tualatin, Oregon
Unidentified DragonflyKoll Wetlands, Oregon
Unidentified DragonflyTambopata River, Peru
Damselfly Life List
Amythyst DancerArgia pallens photographed at Patagonia Lake, Arizona
River JewelwingArchilestes californica from Southeastern Oregon
Pacific ForktailIschnura cervula, from Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington
Rambur's ForktailIschnura ramburii, from Great Abaco Island, Bahamas
Rambur's ForktailIschnura ramburii, from Baja Sur, Mexico
Rambur's ForktailIschnura ramburii, female, from Baja Sur, Mexico
Rainbow BluetEnallagma antennatum, from Boyscout Island, Minnetrista, Minnesota
California Spreadwing DamselflyCalopteryx aequabilis, photographed in Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon
Spotted Spreadwing DamselflyLestes congener, photographed at Koll Wetlands, Oregon
Western Red DamselAmphiagrion abbreviatum, from Sauvie Island, Oregon
Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum
Microstigma rotundatum Helicopter DamselflyPhotographed on the Napo River, Ecuador
Lemon-tipped HelicopterMecistogaster ornata, photographed near Minca, Magdalena, Colombia
Unidentified Damselflyfrom Tambopata River region of Peru
Unidentified Damselflyfrom Koll Wetlands, Oregon
Unidentified Damselflyfrom Koll Wetlands, Oregon
Unidentified Damselflyfrom Boyscout Island, Minnetrista, Minnesota
Explore more in About Us
Amphibian Life List
A list of all the amphibians I've seen in my life, with illustrations.
Bird Life List
A list of all the birds I've seen in my life, with illustrations.
Butterfly Life List
A list of all the butterflies I've identified in my life, with photographs.
Reptile Life List
A list of all the reptiles I've identfiied in my life, with illustrations.
Contact Me
Write to Erik Gauger of Notes from the Road
Dragonflies and Damselflies List
A list of all the Odonata insects I've seen in my life, with illustrations.
Mammal Life List
A list of all the mammals I've seen in my life.
Spider and Arachnid List
A collection of photographs of spiders and other arachnids I've seen while photographing for Notes from the Road.
Grateful Dead Jams
My list of extraordinary road-trip approved Grateful Dead jams.
Phish Jams
My list of the best Phish jams for traveling and road trips.
Alley Cats of the World
My gallery of feral, stray and wild country cats.