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 2024 = 7

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[View PDF]		Southern Sprite (Nehalennia integricollis) by Mark Shields
Compare with: Sphagnum Sprite  
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.
Nehalennia_integricollis

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Map
Click on county for list of all its records for Southern Sprite
Flight Charts
Distribution Most of the central and southern portions of the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont. Formerly thought to be absent from the mountains, but two new (2021) records from this province (Watauga and Madison counties) plus an older one from 2011 (Buncombe County, iNaturalist photo) make it clear that it can be found sparingly in the mountains. Seemingly absent from the northeastern Coastal Plain; however, as it ranges far up the Coastal Plain of the eastern US, the species is likely not absent in the state's northern Tidewater area.
Abundance Uncommon (to locally fairly common) or easily overlooked in the southern half of the Coastal Plain, north to Craven and Moore counties. Rare to locally uncommon in the Piedmont portion of the range, and very rare to absent in the northern half of the Coastal Plain, where recorded only from Edgecombe and Halifax counties. Seemingly very rare to absent in the Tidewater region (north of Pamlico Sound). Very rare or overlooked in the mountains.
Flight In the Coastal Plain, it flies from mid-April to late October. The Piedmont flight appears to be from early May to mid-September. The few mountain records fall between mid-May and mid-July.
Habitat Ponds or lakes, but where there is dense grassy vegetation along the margins, where it can easily hide.

See also Habitat Account for General Pond Shorelines
Behavior Perches low in dense vegetation. Difficult to see until flushed.
Comments This species is so small that it is easily overlooked amid its dense grassy habitats. In fact, Paulson (2011) says that it "Can be very common in dense vegetation". "Very common" is certainly not appropriate for its abundance in NC, except perhaps very locally, as our highest single-day count is just 32 individuals. But it can be very easily overlooked (because of its size and dark coloration), and thus in all probability is present in possibly 80-90% of the state's counties. In reality, the State Rank of S3S4 is probably closer to S4 owing to its wide state range and "overlookability".
State Rank S3S4 [S4]
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 17:47:30
Photo Gallery for Southern Sprite   33 photos are available.
Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Amy Padgett

Comment: Bladen, 2024-06-19, Bay Tree Natural Area, Harrells, NC - 4:01P among sedges in smaller ponds		Photo 2 by: Matt Spangler

Comment: Chatham, 2023-06-09, Jordan Lake Educational State Forest - a few pairs and several solo males and females
Photo 3 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Scotland, 2022-06-18, Lumber River State Park - Chalk Banks access - 4 pairs ovipositing in tandem		Photo 4 by: L. Arent

Comment: Wake, 2022-05-28, Abbott's Creek Community Center (retention ponds)
Photo 5 by: Max Ramey, Aaron Reb

Comment: Watauga, 2021-07-17, Bass Lake - First county record- spotted by Aaron 		Photo 6 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2021-07-08, Hot Springs area
Photo 7 by: John Petranka

Comment: Granville, 2021-06-28, Turtle Pond. Ledge Creek Forest Conservation Area near Stem, NC. - Male.		Photo 8 by: David George

Comment: Durham, 2021-06-15, Valley Springs Park, Durham; iNaturalist Record #83209765
Photo 9 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Hoke, 2020-05-14, Nicholson Creek Game Land - males and females		Photo 10 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Hoke, 2020-05-14, Nicholson Creek Game Land - males and females
Photo 11 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips

Comment: Polk; M, 2019-05-13, meadow beside Cove Creek along trail to Big Bradley Falls, Green River Game Land - female. First record for county.		Photo 12 by: Chris Cohen

Comment: Halifax; C, 2019-05-11, Near White Millpond east of Scotland Neck. iNaturalist record #24955962 - Female
Photo 13 by: Alicia Jackson

Comment: Brunswick, 2018-06-14, next to grassy, isolated pond - female		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields

Comment: New Hanover, 2018-06-01, Carolina Beach State Park (CABE), limesink ponds - 1 male, 1 tandem pair; first record for county
Photo 15 by: Rob Van Epps

Comment: Richmond; C, 2017-10-01, Sandhills Game Land		Photo 16 by: Conrad Wernett

Comment: Carteret, 2017-05-21 - Patsy Pond
Photo 17 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips

Comment: Scotland, 2017-05-15, 17 Frog Pond, Sandhills Game Land		Photo 18 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Bladen, 2017-05-07, Horseshoe Lake, Suggs Mill Pond Game Land
Photo 19 by: Conrad Wernett

Comment: Carteret, 2017-04-30 - Many males and females seen around Patsy Pond in eastern Croatan National Forest		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Pender, 2016-09-05, Holly Shelter Game Land, ponds
Photo 21 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Carteret, 2016-06-03, ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest		Photo 22 by: Conrad Wernett

Comment: Craven, 2014-06-21 - Several specimens spotted along creek in Croatan National Forest
Photo 23 by: John Petranka

Comment: Orange, 2014-06-14, Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area (OCMO), in vegetation along stream issuing from lowest pond - Photograph of female.		Photo 24 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Edith Tatum

Comment: Orange, 2013-07-16, Occoneechee Mountain - males, at lower pond
Photo 25 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Edith Tatum

Comment: Orange, 2013-07-16, Occoneechee Mountain - males, at lower pond		Photo 26 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Edith Tatum

Comment: Orange, 2013-07-16, Occoneechee Mountain - males, at lower pond; close-up of the cerci/final abdominal segments of this sprite
Photo 27 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Edith Tatum

Comment: Orange, 2013-07-16, Occoneechee Mountain - males, at lower pond		Photo 28 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Orange, 2013-06-22, Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area - at lower pond
Photo 29 by: S. Hartley

Comment: Moore; C, 2012-06-07, Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve - male		Photo 30 by: Diana and Terry Hibbitts

Comment: Buncombe, 2011-06-03, Lake Powhatan, Pisgah National Forest. iNaturalist record #2697433 - Female