NC Odonate Website

Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE:

Number of records for 2024 = 3

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
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Vesper Bluet (Enallagma vesperum) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Orange Bluet Golden 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 in females.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Vesper Bluet

Flight Charts

Distribution

Widely scattered over the entire state, though no records yet for the upper third of the Piedmont. In theory, could occur in all 100 counties, but so far recorded only from one-third (33) of them.

Abundance

Uncommon but rather widespread in the Sandhills region, and not local there. However, outside of this region it is rare to locally uncommon over the rest of the state, being quite rare in most of the Piedmont (with just 11 records there). The peak one-day count is a remarkable 50 individuals, but most other counts are under ten individuals. The many counties in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont where it has yet to be recorded attests to the difficulty of finding the species in the state.

Flight

In the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, it occurs from mid-April to mid-October. In the mountains, the records fall from late May to mid-October. More data are needed to fill in gaps in the flight charts, though it appears that the starting and ending dates of the flight periods are rather well established.

Habitat

Lakes or ponds, typically where forests are nearby, for perching (typically in shade). Waters with lily pads are often used.

See also Habitat Account for General Pond Shorelines

Behavior

As the name implies, the species flies mainly in late afternoon into twilight. And, when seen before late afternoon, the individuals are usually perched in dark, shaded places.

Comments

The unusual daily flight timing is perhaps responsible for the scarcity of records for this otherwise geographically widespread species, which ranges from the Gulf Coast north to southern Canada. Males have a bright yellow thorax and are not likely to be overlooked, especially in combination with the highly contrasting light blue end of the abdomen.

State Rank

S3S4

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 15:39:52

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Vesper Bluet 31 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Emma Kaminsky Comment: Durham, 2024-09-20, iNaturalist Record #242970360; Falls Lake Trail, on boardwalk that crosses a corner of Falls Lake - adult male		Photo 2 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Macon, 2024-06-27, Highlands Biological Station, perched on trail around garden and on lilypads from the teaching pavilion
	Photo 3 by: Alicia Jackson Comment: Moore; C, 2023-04-24,		Photo 4 by: Roger Shaw Comment: Richmond; C, 2023-04-23, Indian Camp Lake
	Photo 5 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2022-06-21, Hot Springs		Photo 6 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2022-06-06, Hot Springs pond
	Photo 7 by: Mike Turner Comment: Moore; C, 2021-10-17, Aberdeen Lake Park - ad.males		Photo 8 by: Max Ramey Comment: Avery, 2021-08-15, Wildcat Lake - First county record
	Photo 9 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2021-07-13, Jordan Lake--White Oak Creek marsh		Photo 10 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2021-06-12, Hot Springs area - several males chasing and competing for perches on lily pads, 3 tandem pairs
	Photo 11 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2021-06-12, Hot Springs area - several males chasing and competing for perches on lily pads, 3 tandem pairs		Photo 12 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2021-06-05, Hot Springs area
	Photo 13 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2021-04-12, Ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest		Photo 14 by: Harry LeGrand, Lori Arent Comment: Wake, 2020-09-20, Yates Pond - adult male; on vegetation adjacent to small pool in shade; photo by L. Arent
	Photo 15 by: Kyle Kittelberger Comment: Moore; C, 2020-05-15, Southern Pines - female, attracted during night to moth sheet		Photo 16 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Moore; P, 2020-05-13
	Photo 17 by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Scotland, 2020-04-17, Most seen in beaver pond by Hoffman Rd.		Photo 18 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Richmond; C, 2019-04-22, Broadacres Lake
	Photo 19 by: Mark Shields Comment: Cumberland, 2018-04-22, Lake Rim		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2018-04-18, Ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest - 8 males, 1 female, including a pair in tandem. First record for county.
	Photo 21 by: Mark Shields Comment: Brunswick, 2018-04-17, Boiling Spring Lakes - North Lake Park		Photo 22 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Madison, 2017-05-26, River Road, Hot Springs - Female, image taken at 10 am
	Photo 23 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Moore; C, 2016-07-31, Reservoir Park, near Southern Pines - male		Photo 24 by: John Petranka Comment: Bladen, 2016-04-26, Jones Lake State Park; Jones Lake shoreline around the swimming area. Males. Photo.
	Photo 25 by: Mike Turner Comment: Wake, 2015-05-02, Lake Raleigh - adult male		Photo 26 by: Mike Turner Comment: Granville, 2013-08-15, Lake Butner (Holt Lake) - male
	Photo 27 by: Kaitlin Carnahan Comment: Watauga, 2012-09-10		Photo 28 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2012-08-26, Beaver Lake, Asheville - Immature Male
	Photo 29 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2011-09-07, Beaver Lake, Asheville - Male & Female		Photo 30 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2011-09-07, Beaver Lake, Asheville - Male & Female