The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
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Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE: Number of records for 2023 = 0
Added in 2023 from a previous years = 18

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
[View PDF]		Azure Bluet (Enallagma aspersum) by Mark Shields
Compare with: Attenuated Bluet   Pale Bluet   Slender Bluet  
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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 Azure Bluet
Flight Charts
Distribution Throughout the mountains, and essentially throughout the Piedmont; in the Coastal Plain mainly in the western and central portions. Clearly absent from the eastern portions of the Coastal Plain.
Abundance Common in the mountains, at least locally. Uncommon in the Piedmont, though may be locally fairly common to common. Rare in the Coastal Plain, and possibly absent close to the coast, especially in the far eastern counties; few recent records for this province.
Flight The mountain flight occurs from late April to late September. The Piedmont flight is slightly longer -- early April to early October, and the Coastal Plain flight even slightly longer -- mid-April to early November.
Habitat Ponds and small lakes, usually with emergent vegetation. Often, but not exclusively, in fishless waters.
Behavior Males are not shy, and often perch on emergent vegetation out from a pond shore in full sun. As with many bluets, populations are quite local, seemingly absent from many or most suitable-looking ponds.
Comments The species is more easily found in the NC mountains than downstate. Yet, the three highest counts are from the eastern Piedmont -- from Wake County, and thus it is disturbing or at least odd there are no records for about 35% of the Piedmont counties. Is the species really that scarce in central NC, considering its local abundance in the mountains and Wake County? It is suspected that few observers are looking for damselflies, especially at pond margins, in much of the central and western Piedmont. Of note is that the species is very rare in the SC Piedmont, found just in a few foothill counties.
State Rank S4
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 11:51:41
Photo Gallery for Azure Bluet   27 photos are shown. Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Charles H Williams, Laura Williams

Comment: Guilford, 2022-07-27, 3:20-3:30 PM at 36.172782, -79.793662		Photo 2 by: Charles H Williams, Laura Williams

Comment: Guilford, 2022-07-27, 3:20-3:30 PM at 36.172782, -79.793662
Photo 3 by: P Dixon

Comment: Haywood, 2022-07-12, Harmon Den meadows near horse camp, 35.761858680047766, -82.98522559935496		Photo 4 by: B. Bockhahn

Comment: Buncombe, 2022-06-21, Flora Fonta state trail - Oak Trail, Black Mountain
Photo 5 by: Travis McLain

Comment: Cabarrus, 2022-05-02, 35.3638, -80.645432, Concord; iNaturalist Record #115950359		Photo 6 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-07-12, pond, Hot Springs area - female
Photo 7 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-05-30, Little Glade Mill Pond on Blue Ridge Parkway		Photo 8 by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and party.

Comment: Avery, 2019-05-21, Pond on private property that adjoins the Blue Ridge Parkway in southern Avery County. - Males.
Photo 9 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips

Comment: Mitchell, 2019-05-16, Living Waters Campground, Glen Ayre. - female at large pond. First record for county.		Photo 10 by: Natalie Beck

Comment: Gaston, 2019-04-26, Belmont, near McAdenville Rd.. iNat record# 23219044 - Male.
Photo 11 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Richmond; C, 2019-04-18, Naked Creek at Derby Road bridge - female. First record for county.		Photo 12 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Jackson, 2018-06-25, Pond beside Breedlove Road, 5 km northeast of Cashiers - Abundant; many tandem pairs
Photo 13 by: Mark Shields and Hunter Phillips

Comment: Rockingham, 2018-05-13, Mayo River State Park (MARI) - Mayo Mountain Access - male at pond near park office		Photo 14 by: Curtis Smalling

Comment: Wilkes; M, 2015-06-16, WRC fishing put-in on Triplett Rd. - common today but along creek not still water
Photo 15 by: Curtis Smalling

Comment: Wilkes; M, 2015-05-14, Elk Creek rocky sandbar - not typical habitat		Photo 16 by: George Andrews

Comment: Mecklenburg, 2014-07-13, Colonel Francis Beatty Park
Photo 17 by: Owen McConnell

Comment: Graham, 2014-07-07, Bear Creek Junction ponds		Photo 18 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Wake, 2014-05-29, Prairie Ridge Ecostation - 27 males, 1 female
Photo 19 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Wake, 2012-07-19, Prairie Ridge Ecostation		Photo 20 by: Curtis Smalling; Harry LeGrand

Comment: Watauga, 2012-06-19, at private pond - in wheel
Photo 21 by: Doug Johnston, Vin Stanton

Comment: Madison, 2012-04-28, trout pond at Max Patch		Photo 22 by: Doug Johnston

Comment: Buncombe, 2010-07-14 - Leicester patch
Photo 23 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Henderson, 2010-05-04, Fletcher Park @ pond		Photo 24 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Henderson, 2009-09-28, Fletcher Park - Male
Photo 25 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Henderson, 2009-09-24, Fletcher Park		Photo 26 by: Ted Wilcox

Comment: Ashe, 2005-07-21, female
Photo 27 by: Ted Wilcox

Comment: Ashe, 2005-07-21, female