The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
Home Page Search Odonate Resources
LoginNC Biodiversity Project
North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
Common Name: Scientific Name:

«      »

Sort Species by: Family   Scientific Name       [ Undocumented ]
Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE: Number of records for 2023 = 0

PDF has more details,
e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
[View PDF]		Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens) by P Dixon
Compare with: Familiar Bluet   Atlantic Bluet   Big Bluet  
Identification Tips: Move the cursor over the image, or tap the image if using a mobile device, to reveal ID Tips.
Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and females.

[Google images]     [Global Biodiversity Information Facility]
Map
Click on county for list of all its records for Double-striped Bluet
Flight Charts
Distribution Essentially statewide. Though absent from a handful of mountain and far eastern Coastal Plain counties, it likely occurs in essentially all 100 counties.
Abundance Despite its very wide range in the state, this is by no means a common or really numerous damselfly, much less numerous than many of our other bluets. Uncommon to locally fairly common in the mountains and Piedmont, but mostly uncommon in the Coastal Plain, and rare near the coast. For example, in 2022, there were just nine reports for the entire state.
Flight The flight starts in April in all provinces, being a bit earlier in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont (early or mid-April) than in the mountains (late April). The long flight continues to mid-October (rarely to early November) in the Piedmont, at least to early October in the Coastal Plain, and to early October in the mountains.
Habitat Ponds and small lakes, as well as slow-moving streams, usually where there is emergent vegetation.
Behavior Though males often perch in the open at a pond, these are about our smallest bluets, and perching is usually very close to the water, where they can be overlooked by observers.
Comments As with so many of our damselflies, the number of recent records with flight dates is far fewer than what would be expected from the large number of county records historically -- implying little effort at studying damselflies by more recent biologists. Though the species occurs perhaps in all 100 counties, it is not overly numerous anywhere, with just two single-day tallies of over 15 individuals.
State Rank S5
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 11:59:18
Photo Gallery for Double-striped Bluet   26 photos are shown. Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: L. Arent

Comment: Yadkin, 2022-08-01, Yadkin County Park		Photo 2 by: Matt Spangler

Comment: Chatham, 2022-05-15, Haw River--Bynum Dam
Photo 3 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2021-07-06, River Road, Hot Springs		Photo 4 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Alleghany, 2021-06-23, New River State Park - Kings Creek Access
Photo 5 by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin

Comment: Yancey, 2021-05-24, Along Cane River south of Burnsville. - Pair in wheel.		Photo 6 by: Lori Arent

Comment: Wake, 2021-05-15, Umstead State Park, powerline east of Big Lake
Photo 7 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-08-12, Pond at Wolf Laurel exit, I-26		Photo 8 by: Ken Kneidel

Comment: Mecklenburg, 2019-06-30, on margin of small wet marsh
Photo 9 by: Ken Kneidel

Comment: Mecklenburg, 2019-06-30, on margin of small wet marsh, 2400 Water Oak Rd, Charlotte		Photo 10 by: Mark Shields and Hunter Phillips

Comment: Rockingham, 2018-05-13, Mayo River State Park (MARI) - Mayo Mountain Access - mostly tandem/ovipositing pairs at ponds near park office
Photo 11 by: Rob Van Epps

Comment: Mecklenburg, 2017-06-13 - Roosevelt Wilson Park; Davidson		Photo 12 by: Rob Van Epps

Comment: Mecklenburg, 2017-06-13 - Roosevelt Wilson Park; Davidson
Photo 13 by: Curtis Smalling

Comment: Robeson, 2017-04-12, at WRC put-in on river 34.591680, -78.983892		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Duplin, 2016-09-09, Cabin Lake County Park
Photo 15 by: Conrad Wernett

Comment: Onslow, 2015-06-07 - Single male found at retention pond		Photo 16 by: Owen McConnell

Comment: Orange, 2015-05-26, Ayr Mount
Photo 17 by: Owen McConnell

Comment: Orange, 2015-05-22, Ayr Mount		Photo 18 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Granville, 2013-08-15, Lake Butner (Holt Lake) - males
Photo 19 by: George Andrews

Comment: Mecklenburg, 2013-06-08, Beatty Park, 17:00-18:00, 30% cloud cover, 80° F, light wind, day after heavy rain. - In vegetation at edge of pond		Photo 20 by: Doug Johnston

Comment: Madison, 2012-06-08, Leach Pond, close to Sandy Mush Game Land
Photo 21 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2012-05-25, Owen Park ponds, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa River - Male & Female		Photo 22 by: Vin Stanton, Doug Johnston

Comment: Haywood, 2011-06-08, Lake Junaluska and Haywood Community College
Photo 23 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2011-05-25, Beaver Lake, Asheville - Male & Female		Photo 24 by: Floyd Williams

Comment: Camden, 2009-07-28, Dismal Swamp State Park - Pair in wheel on bridge.
Photo 25 by: Ted Wilcox

Comment: Ashe, 2005-06-04, mated		Photo 26 by: Ted Wilcox

Comment: Ashe, 2004-08-03, female