The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
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Related Species in LESTIDAE: Number of records for 2024 = 8
Added in 2024-00-00 from a previous years = 3

PDF has more details,
e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
[View PDF]		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.
Lestes_vigilax

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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 S5
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-17 13:32:21
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