NC Odonate Website

Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 7

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Stream Bluet (Enallagma exsulans) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Turquoise Bluet Skimming 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 Stream Bluet

Flight Charts

Distribution

Throughout the mountains and Piedmont; also in the upper Coastal Plain, east to Hertford, Pitt, and Cumberland counties.

Abundance

Common, at least locally, in the mountains and Piedmont; rare in the Coastal Plain portion of the range. Several counts of at least 100 individuals in a day have been made in the eastern Piedmont.

Flight

Late April to mid-October in the Piedmont, and mid-May to at least mid-September in the mountains. The relatively few dates from the Coastal Plain fall between late May and late September, though the flight ought to be similar to that in the Piedmont.

Habitat

A wide variety of creeks and rivers, with slow to moderate current. Unlike most other bluets, it seldom occurs at ponds and lakes.

Behavior

The bluet most often and easily seen along flowing, semi-shaded waters in the mountains and Piedmont. It often perches off the water on broad leaves of shrubs or trees, but it also can perch on snags barely above the water.

Comments

It seems to be one of the few bluets that observers in the Piedmont bother to photograph in recent years, perhaps as most people there are looking at creeks and rivers for clubtails and other dragonflies, and not looking around pond and lake margins for those many damselfly species that favor lentic conditions (versus lotic conditions of flowing waters). This is especially the case in the western half of the Piedmont.

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Species account update: LeGrand on 2024-01-03 12:44:48

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Stream Bluet 30 photos are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Orange, 2025-05-31, Eno River SP ENRI--Pleasant Green access		Photo 2 by: Mark Shields Comment: Anson, 2025-05-01, Pee Dee River at Red Hill Boating Access
	Photo 3 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Durham, 2024-08-18,		Photo 4 by: Mike Turner Comment: Cumberland, 2024-07-07, Cape Fear River - boat access on Person St. in Fayetteville - ad.male
	Photo 5 by: Mark Shields Comment: Nash, 2022-06-20, Tar River at Battle Park, Rocky Mount		Photo 6 by: Travis McLain Comment: Cabarrus, 2022-06-18, Coddle Creek, iNaturalist Record #122381627
	Photo 7 by: L. Arent Comment: Wilkes; P, 2022-05-22, Yadkin River (below Kerr Scott Dam & Lowe's Park at Rivers Edge)		Photo 8 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2021-06-24, Laurel River
	Photo 9 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2021-06-04, Hot Springs area		Photo 10 by: Ruby Sarkar Comment: Wake, 2020-06-21, This damselfly was seen near the Falls Lake Dam, in Raleigh. It was a hot, sunny summer afternoon. This is a mature male. There were many of them from this species at that time. These damselflies were flying over a small pool of water adjacent to the dam. the water was not deep. These damselflies always preferred perching on twigs or grasses that stood out of water. They stayed close to water, didn't wander off.
	Photo 11 by: Mike Turner Comment: Stanly, 2018-08-31, Rocky River @ NC 138		Photo 12 by: Mark Shields Comment: Harnett; C, 2018-07-13, Cape Fear River Trail Park, Erwin
	Photo 13 by: Mike Turner Comment: Forsyth, 2018-07-08, Winston Lake		Photo 14 by: Mike Turner Comment: Forsyth, 2018-07-01, Winston Lake
	Photo 15 by: Mike Turner Comment: Guilford, 2018-06-30, N. Buffalo Creek @ SR 2832		Photo 16 by: John Petranka, Chuck Smith Comment: Caldwell, 2018-06-08, Wilson Creek at Visitor's Center. - Male.
	Photo 17 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2017-08-13, Woodfin Riverside Park; Lat: 35.63133 Long -82.60006 - Male		Photo 18 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Union, 2017-05-15, Rocky River at Randolph Landing, Rocky River Blueway Access and Nature Park
	Photo 19 by: Owen McConnell Comment: Graham, 2014-07-15, whitewater input ramp on the Cheoah River - photo of male		Photo 20 by: Doug Johnston, Vin Stanton Comment: Macon, 2013-07-16, Patton
	Photo 21 by: George Andrews Comment: Union, 2013-05-29, Rocky River at Hilford Road, intersection of Union, Anson, and Stanly counties.		Photo 22 by: Doug Johnston, Simon Thompson, Gail Lankford, Vin Stanton Comment: Henderson, 2011-08-06, Fletcher Park - Male
	Photo 23 by: Vin Stanton, Doug Johnston Comment: Haywood, 2011-06-08, Lake Junaluska - Male & Female		Photo 24 by: Vin Stanton, Doug Johnston Comment: Haywood, 2011-06-08, Lake Junaluska - Male & Female
	Photo 25 by: Bob Oberfelder Comment: Wake, 2011-06-07, Observed in Cary at Lochmere Golf Course, male		Photo 26 by: Doug Johnston, Vin Stanton Comment: Madison, 2011-06-05, Sandy Mush Creek
	Photo 27 by: Doug Johnston Comment: Buncombe, 2011-06-04, French Broad River, northern Buncombe County		Photo 28 by: E. Corey Comment: Avery, 2008-06-18, southernmost bog
	Photo 29 by: Ted Wilcox Comment: Alleghany, 2006-07-19, mated		Photo 30 by: Randy Emmitt Comment: Durham, 2004-06-02, male