NC Odonate Website

Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE:		Number of records for 2024 = 5
Added in 2024-00-00 from a previous years = 2 (2023-04-23) (2023-06-01)

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
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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

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 11:51:41

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Azure Bluet 33 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: Macon, 2024-07-24, Wilson Lakes, Nantahala National Forest		Photo 2 by: Mark Shields Comment: Scotland, 2023-09-16, 17 Frog Pond, Sandhills Game Land - male
	Photo 3 by: Comment: , 0000-00-00,		Photo 4 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Macon, 2023-05-13, Highlands--Ravenel Lake
	Photo 5 by: Mark Shields Comment: Alexander, 2023-05-11, Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area - on pond in quarry		Photo 6 by: Mark Shields Comment: Caldwell, 2023-05-10, Boone Fork Pond
	Photo 7 by: Charles H Williams, Laura Williams Comment: Guilford, 2022-07-27, 3:20-3:30 PM at 36.172782, -79.793662		Photo 8 by: Charles H Williams, Laura Williams Comment: Guilford, 2022-07-27, 3:20-3:30 PM at 36.172782, -79.793662
	Photo 9 by: P Dixon Comment: Haywood, 2022-07-12, Harmon Den meadows near horse camp, 35.761858680047766, -82.98522559935496		Photo 10 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Buncombe, 2022-06-21, Flora Fonta state trail - Oak Trail, Black Mountain
	Photo 11 by: Travis McLain Comment: Cabarrus, 2022-05-02, 35.3638, -80.645432, Concord; iNaturalist Record #115950359		Photo 12 by: p dixon Comment: Madison, 2020-07-12, pond, Hot Springs area - female
	Photo 13 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Alleghany, 2020-05-30, Little Glade Mill Pond on Blue Ridge Parkway		Photo 14 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 15 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Mitchell, 2019-05-16, Living Waters Campground, Glen Ayre. - female at large pond. First record for county.		Photo 16 by: Natalie Beck Comment: Gaston, 2019-04-26, Belmont, near McAdenville Rd.. iNat record# 23219044 - Male.
	Photo 17 by: Mark Shields Comment: Richmond; C, 2019-04-18, Naked Creek at Derby Road bridge - female. First record for county.		Photo 18 by: Mark Shields Comment: Jackson, 2018-06-25, Pond beside Breedlove Road, 5 km northeast of Cashiers - Abundant; many tandem pairs
	Photo 19 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 20 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 21 by: Curtis Smalling Comment: Wilkes; M, 2015-05-14, Elk Creek rocky sandbar - not typical habitat		Photo 22 by: George Andrews Comment: Mecklenburg, 2014-07-13, Colonel Francis Beatty Park
	Photo 23 by: Owen McConnell Comment: Graham, 2014-07-07, Bear Creek Junction ponds		Photo 24 by: Mike Turner Comment: Wake, 2014-05-29, Prairie Ridge Ecostation - 27 males, 1 female
	Photo 25 by: Mike Turner Comment: Wake, 2012-07-19, Prairie Ridge Ecostation		Photo 26 by: Curtis Smalling; Harry LeGrand Comment: Watauga, 2012-06-19, at private pond - in wheel
	Photo 27 by: Doug Johnston, Vin Stanton Comment: Madison, 2012-04-28, trout pond at Max Patch		Photo 28 by: Doug Johnston Comment: Buncombe, 2010-07-14 - Leicester patch
	Photo 29 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Henderson, 2010-05-04, Fletcher Park @ pond		Photo 30 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Henderson, 2009-09-28, Fletcher Park - Male