Blue Dasher Dragonfly or Black or Spotted Spreadwing Damsel or What - Pachydiplax longipennis - BugGuide.Net

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Dragonflies (Anisoptera) » Skimmers (Libellulidae) » Pachydiplax » Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)

Photo#335336

Copyright © 2009 Ethan Winning

Blue Dasher Dragonfly or Black or Spotted Spreadwing Damsel or What - Pachydiplax longipennis

Walnut Creek, Contra Costa Country County, California, USA
September 20, 2009
Size: about an inch and a half

I think I've narrowed it down, and although its wings are spread (spreadwing), it has the thorax or a blue darner, no? I've looked in Tim Manolis' "Dragonflies and Damselflies of California," but I was at least 15 feet from it and from a side view, you can't see the cercus which would have narrowed it further. Thanks for any help. It would be nice to be right just once, so I'm going with the blue dasher even though it's smaller than any other dragonfly I've seen at this pond all summer.

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Contributed by Ethan Winning on 20 September, 2009 - 7:47pm
Last updated 24 October, 2009 - 8:36pm

Moved

Moved from Dragonflies.

… john and jane balaban, 24 October, 2009 - 8:36pm

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Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… v belov, 12 October, 2009 - 9:45am

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Blue Dasher

This is a male blue dasher- Pachydiplax longipennis.

… Minray Yang, 20 September, 2009 - 8:40pm

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Male Blue Dasher

Thanks for the post. I was right for a change, but I had no idea that they were this small. That's why my initial thought was damsel.

… Ethan Winning, 20 September, 2009 - 8:43pm

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Not an expert but...

...I initally thought Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) but then saw that you are in California.
Please take a look at the male Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata).

… Ron M., 20 September, 2009 - 8:06pm

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Western Pondhawk

Thanks for the response, but I think Minray is correct in saying that it's a Blue Dasher. Western pondhawks certainly do look like this -- in photos -- but the western pondhawk would be about 2/3rds larger than this. An western pondhawks NEVER land, at least no when I'm trying to get pictures. If it wasn't for mating season I never would have gotten a Common Green Darner! (See Insect gallery on non-commercial hobby-only web site ethanwinning.com)

… Ethan Winning, 20 September, 2009 - 8:50pm

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