NC Odonate Website

Related Species in LIBELLULIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 0

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Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) by Rob Van Epps

Compare with: Distinctive
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Eastern Amberwing

Flight Charts

Distribution

Statewide, but as with so many other "statewide" species, it has not been recorded from all mountain counties, though certainly occurring in all.

Abundance

Common to locally abundant essentially statewide, but slightly less numerous (but still common) in the mountains. There are several one-day counts of 200 or more individuals.

Flight

Downstate, the flight occurs from early May to late October; in the mountains, from mid- or late May to early October.

Habitat

Ponds, small lakes, marshes, and pools are used for breeding. Slow-moving portions of rivers or creeks may be used on occasions.

See also Habitat Account for General Pond Shorelines

Behavior

This is an active and conspicuous dragonfly, despite being one of the smallest species. Adults often perch conspicuously on the tips of twigs and grasses, close to water. Adults will forage long distances from water, and they are among the most "urban" of dragonflies, often found in gardens, arboretums, and other places in cities where suitable prey items might occur.

Comments

This species is a wasp mimic, with its highly colored wing patches and veins. Adults often obelisk. Females are somewhat similar in coloration to the Halloween Pennant, but the latter species is much larger in size. One would think that a dragonfly whose average length is less than 1 inch would be difficult to observe and easy to overlook (such as with the Elfin Skimmer), but the Eastern Amberwing is a "unique" species in NC -- there are other amberwings elsewhere -- that seems to want to draw attention to itself, often looking like a butterfly or wasp rather than a dragonfly (at a quick glance).

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Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-17 09:44:42

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Eastern Amberwing 55 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-05-21, Pond 2 miles SE of Clarkton, NC - 11:53AM in grass near pond		Photo 2 by: Mike Turner Comment: Cumberland, 2022-07-04, Jessup's Mill Pond
	Photo 3 by: Mark Shields Comment: Robeson, 2022-06-24, Lumber River, from LURI-Princess Ann Access to Lumber River Campground and back, by kayak		Photo 4 by: Mark Shields Comment: Greene, 2022-06-20, Contentnea Creek at Caswell's Landing Nature Park, Hookerton
	Photo 5 by: John Petranka Comment: Durham, 2021-08-04, NHCBS, New Hope Creek Bottomlands, Old Chapel Hill Road Park along Paved Trail		Photo 6 by: Mark Shields Comment: Ashe, 2021-06-23, Ashe Park Pond, Jefferson - tenerals
	Photo 7 by: Lynn Swafford Comment: Pitt, 2021-05-24, Female: Pond in Farmville, NC near disk golf course		Photo 8 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Carteret, 2021-05-21, North River Wetlands Preserve
	Photo 9 by: Mark Shields Comment: Richmond; C, 2021-04-30, Naked Creek at Derby Road bridge - female		Photo 10 by: Doug Allen Comment: Polk; P, 2020-06-14, Caroland Farms, private ~10 acre pond and small pond - 74 counted on 1/4 perimeter of pond
	Photo 11 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn Comment: Hoke, 2020-05-14, Nicholson Creek Game Land		Photo 12 by: Guy McGrane Comment: Watauga, 2019-08-04, Birdseye View Pond - Very active
	Photo 13 by: Mark Shields Comment: Camden, 2019-06-24, Indiantown Creek, from S. Indiantown Rd. bridge to confluence with North River and back, by kayak.		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields Comment: Tyrrell, 2019-06-14, Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk, Columbia. Photo of ovipositing female shows many eggs deposited on branch in water.
	Photo 15 by: Mark Shields Comment: Brunswick, 2018-08-26, Boiling Spring Lakes - North Lake and Spring Lake parks		Photo 16 by: Mike Turner Comment: Davie, 2018-07-03, S. Yadkin River @ Cooleemee boating access
	Photo 17 by: Aaron Edmonds Comment: Harnett; C, 2018-07-02, Flat Branch		Photo 18 by: Mike Turner Comment: Forsyth, 2018-07-01, Winston Lake
	Photo 19 by: Mark Shields Comment: Craven, 2018-06-16, Swift Creek; 7 km section between Cool Springs Boating Access Area and NC 43 bridge, by kayak		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields Comment: Chowan, 2018-06-09, Edenton National Fish Hatchery
	Photo 21 by: Mark Shields Comment: Currituck, 2018-06-09, pond at Currituck Community Park near Maple		Photo 22 by: Barbara McRae Comment: Macon, 2018-06-01, Wetland area near Little Tennessee River in Franklin - Immature male
	Photo 23 by: Mark Shields Comment: Edgecombe, 2018-05-25, Etheridge Pond, Tar River Game Land		Photo 24 by: Mark Shields and Hunter Phillips Comment: Hyde, 2017-08-04, Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
	Photo 25 by: Mark Shields Comment: Lenoir, 2017-08-01, Neuseway Nature Park, Kinston		Photo 26 by: Owen McConnell Comment: Granville, 2017-07-17, Holt Lake near boat launch ramp - male
	Photo 27 by: Mark Shields Comment: Washington, 2017-06-16, Conaby Creek, from boating access area to 2.25 km upstream by kayak		Photo 28 by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Mecklenburg, 2017-06-13 - Roosevelt Wilson Park, Davidson
	Photo 29 by: Mark Shields Comment: Rutherford; P, 2017-06-02, Morse Park, Lake Lure		Photo 30 by: Mark Shields Comment: Duplin, 2016-09-09, Cabin Lake County Park