NC Odonate Website

Related Species in LESTIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 0

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Swamp Spreadwing (Lestes vigilax) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Elegant Spreadwing Carolina Spreadwing
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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 Swamp Spreadwing

Flight Charts

Distribution

Statewide, being recorded from over 85 counties, with "absences" in scattered counties across the state. Presumed to occur in all 100 counties.

Abundance

Fairly common to common in the mountains, and locally very common in parts of the Coastal Plain. Oddly, appears to be less numerous (i.e., uncommon) in the intervening Piedmont, as there are slightly fewer records there than in the mountains, which has a much smaller geographic range and many fewer observers than in the Piedmont. There are single-party counts of at least 20 individuals in each of the three provinces; one count surpasses 100 individuals in the lower Coastal Plain.

Flight

A wide flight period, extending to late autumn. In the Coastal Plain, it occurs from mid-April to late November. Piedmont records fall between mid-May (and should occur by late April) and late October; mountain records fall between late April and early October. There is a very early state date of 29 March for the lower Coastal Plain.

Habitat

Ponds and lakes in somewhat wooded country, especially where shrubs grow in the water; or where marshy vegetation grows along the margins of such waters.

Behavior

Despite being one of the more widespread and numerous spreadwings, they can be difficult to spot in the shade or partial shade of their often-semi-forested pond and lake margins.

Comments

This is another reasonably common spreadwing across the state, with large numbers of records in all three provinces. Mark Shields has added many dozens of records in the past several years from the southern coastal area.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-17 13:32:21

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Swamp Spreadwing 36 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Sampson, 2024-10-23, Black River, Ivanhoe Access		Photo 2 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Macon, 2024-09-24,
	Photo 3 by: Lori Arent, Harry LeGrand, Audrey Whitlock Comment: Ashe, 2024-08-12, various sites in the county - Ashe County Park pond		Photo 4 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-05-15, Bay Tree Natural Area, Harrells, NC - 2:03PM in vegetation near lake
	Photo 5 by: L. Arent Comment: Orange, 2021-10-21, Brumley Nature Preserve South		Photo 6 by: Lynn Swafford Comment: Stokes, 2021-08-07, Males and Females at Hanging Rock State Park Lake
	Photo 7 by: Lynn Swafford Comment: Stokes, 2021-08-07, Males and Females at Hanging Rock State Park Lake		Photo 8 by: p dixon Comment: Madison, 2020-08-25, Hot Springs area
	Photo 9 by: p dixon Comment: Madison, 2020-08-05, Hot Springs area		Photo 10 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Scotland, 2020-06-08, Scotland Lake
	Photo 11 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Richard Stickney Comment: Durham, 2020-05-17, pond at Penny's Bend		Photo 12 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Richard Stickney Comment: Durham, 2020-05-17, pond at Penny's Bend
	Photo 13 by: Jason Love Comment: Macon, 2019-09-17, Netted, photographed, and released. Lindenwood Lake (aka Lake Ravenel) at the Highlands Biological Station - Male. Found perched on sedge at edge of lake. Specimen also added to iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33010817		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields Comment: Brunswick, 2018-08-26, Boiling Spring Lakes - North Lake and Spring Lake parks
	Photo 15 by: Mark Shields Comment: Transylvania, 2018-06-27, Gorges State Park (GORG) - many tandem/ovipositing pairs at Raymond Fisher Pond		Photo 16 by: Mark Shields Comment: Jackson, 2018-06-25, Pond beside Breedlove Road, 5 km northeast of Cashiers
	Photo 17 by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Richmond; C, 2017-10-01, Sandhills Game Land		Photo 18 by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Richmond; C, 2017-10-01, Sandhills Game Land
	Photo 19 by: Conrad Wernett Comment: Carteret, 2017-05-21 - Patsy Pond, both females		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Scotland, 2017-05-15, Scotland Lake and in-flowing creek, Sandhills Game Land
	Photo 21 by: Mark Shields Comment: Robeson, 2016-09-25, Lumber River, between Boardman Boating Access and Piney Island Campsite		Photo 22 by: Mark Shields Comment: Dare; Mainland, 2016-09-17, Sandy Ridge Wildlife Trail, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
	Photo 23 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2016-09-05, individuals not counted; Stones Creek Game Land		Photo 24 by: Mark Shields Comment: Pender, 2016-09-05, Holly Shelter Game Land, ponds
	Photo 25 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2016-05-25, ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest		Photo 26 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2015-11-11, ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest
	Photo 27 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2015-10-22, Stones Creek Game Land		Photo 28 by: Mark Shields Comment: Bladen, 2015-08-10, Suggs Millpond (aka Horseshoe Lake) - many in tandem pairs
	Photo 29 by: Doug Johnston Comment: Madison, 2012-07-26, Leach Pond, close to Sandy Mush Game Land		Photo 30 by: Vin Stanton, Doug Johnston Comment: Transylvania, 2011-08-19, Brevard - Male & Female