Dragonflies are capturing the curiosity of humans. Not only are they fascinating to look at but their aerial acrobatics are extraordinary.
Do you wonder what dragonflies live near you? At the Odonata Central website you can put in a county in North America and receive a list of the known dragonfly species for the area. The Odonata Central.
http://www.odonatacentral.org/index.php/ChecklistAction.chooseLocation.
As always, I compiled a list of dragonflies spotted inside the City of Philadelphia.
The 61 species of dragonflies found in Philadelphia (Philadelphia County, PA)
| Aeshna umbrosa (Shadow Darner) |
| Amphiagrion saucium (Eastern Red Damsel) |
| Anax junius (Common Green Darner) |
| Archilestes grandis (Great Spreadwing) |
| Argia apicalis (Blue-fronted Dancer) |
| Argia fumipennis (Variable Dancer) |
| Argia moesta (Powdered Dancer) |
| Argia translata (Dusky Dancer) |
| Boyeria vinosa (Fawn Darner) |
| Calopteryx dimidiata (Sparkling Jewelwing) |
| Calopteryx maculata (Ebony Jewelwing) |
| Celithemis elisa (Calico Pennant) |
| Celithemis eponina (Halloween Pennant) |
| Didymops transversa (Stream Cruiser) |
| Dromogomphus spinosus (Black-shouldered Spinyleg) |
| Enallagma aspersum (Azure Bluet) |
| Enallagma civile (Familiar Bluet) |
| Enallagma durum (Big Bluet) |
| Enallagma exsulans (Stream Bluet) |
| i>Enallagma geminatum (Skimming Bluet) |
| Enallagma signatum (Orange Bluet) |
| Epiaeschna heros (Swamp Darner) |
| Epitheca cynosura (Common Baskettail) |
| Epitheca princeps (Prince Baskettail) |
| Erythemis simplicicollis (Eastern Pondhawk) |
| Erythrodiplax berenice (Seaside Dragonlet) |
| Gomphaeschna antilope (Taper-tailed Darner) |
| Gomphaeschna furcillata (Harlequin Darner) |
| Gomphus exilis (Lancet Clubtail) |
| Gomphus lividus (Ashy Clubtail) |
| Gomphus vastus (Cobra Clubtail) |
| <Hagenius brevistylus (Dragonhunter) |
| Hetaerina americana (American Rubyspot) |
| Hetaerina titia (Smoky Rubyspot) |
| Ischnura posita (Fragile Forktail) |
| Ischnura ramburii (Rambur’s Forktail) |
| Ischnura verticalis (Eastern Forktail) |
| <Lestes rectangularis (Slender Spreadwing) |
| Lestes vigilax (Swamp Spreadwing) |
| Leucorrhinia intacta (Dot-tailed Whiteface) |
| Libellula cyanea (Spangled Skimmer) |
| Libellula luctuosa (Widow Skimmer) |
| Libellula pulchella (Twelve-spotted Skimmer) |
| Libellula semifasciata (Painted Skimmer) |
| Libellula vibrans (Great Blue Skimmer) |
| Macromia illinoiensis (Swift River Cruiser) |
| Nannothemis bella (Elfin Skimmer) |
| Pachydiplax longipennis (Blue Dasher) |
| Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider) |
| Pantala hymenaea (Spot-winged Glider) |
| Perithemis tenera (Eastern Amberwing) |
| Plathemis lydia (Common Whitetail) |
| Somatochlora tenebrosa (Clamp-tipped Emerald) |
| Stylurus plagiatus (Russet-tipped Clubtail) |
| Stylurus spiniceps (Arrow Clubtail) |
| Sympetrum ambiguum (Blue-faced Meadowhawk) |
| Sympetrum rubicundulum (Ruby Meadowhawk) |
| Sympetrum semicinctum (Band-winged Meadowhawk) |
| Sympetrum vicinum (Autumn Meadowhawk) |
| Tramea carolina (Carolina Saddlebags) |
| Tramea lacerata (Black Saddlebags) |