NC Odonate Website

Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE:

Number of records for 2024 = 6

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Sphagnum Sprite (Nehalennia gracilis) by John Petranka

Compare with: Southern Sprite
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.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Sphagnum Sprite

Flight Charts

Distribution

Primarily the southern Coastal Plain, including the Sandhills region, as well as the southern mountains. Otherwise, very widely scattered over the state, though mainly in the southern part of the state. There are no records yet for the northern half of the mountains, nearly all of the Piedmont, and nearly all of the northern Coastal Plain. A photo from Tyrrell County in 2014 filled in a large gap in the range in the eastern part of the state; and a photo from Buncombe County -- taken in 2011 but not posted to this website until 2020 -- "moved" the mountain range slightly northward.

Abundance

Oddly geographically bimodal, being more numerous in the Coastal Plain and the southern mountains than in the Piedmont. Uncommon to very locally fairly common in the Sandhills and in the southern mountains. Very rare to rare elsewhere, mainly in the southern Coastal Plain east of the Sandhills.

Flight

The Coastal Plain records fall from early May to late September, whereas those from the mountains are from early June to late August. The very few (three) records from the Piedmont are confined from early June to early July, though certainly the flight is much wider than this. Most of the flight is finished by the end of July.

Habitat

Typically where sphagnum moss is present around seeps and other boggy spots, such as some pond margins.

Behavior

Males fly slowly above the sphagnum and other vegetation, often a foot or two off the ground, and can perch somewhat conspicuously on a bare twig (though usually in light shade). The similar Southern Sprite, a shorter species, tends to stay somewhat closer to thick vegetation than does a Sphagnum Sprite. Both can occur in the same sites; thus, care must be taken to correctly identify a Sphagnum Sprite.

Comments

Because of the sparse array of county records across much of the state, range maps in reference books tend to incorrectly show all of NC within the range of the species, which is more common in states to our north than to our south. Though not one of our rarest damselflies, it is one of our rarest away from its Sandhills stronghold. As it is not on the N.C. Natural Heritage Program's Watch List, that fact and its locally numerous status meant that was it was recently moved from S2S3 to a less scarce S3.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 17:43:48

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Sphagnum Sprite 20 photos are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-07-05, Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest - 10:30AM at shaded boggy area		Photo 2 by: Lydia Pultorak Comment: Tyrrell, 2024-05-30, - Tyrell, 05-30-2024, Conservation Fund property ~2 miles west of Alligator River Marina
	Photo 3 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-05-22, Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest - 1:45PM at a boggy patch of sphagnum moss		Photo 4 by: Mark Shields Comment: Richmond; C, 2023-06-30, Lake Baggett, Sandhills Game Land
	Photo 5 by: Harry LeGrand, Lori Arent Comment: Moore; C, 2022-06-26, Aberdeen Lake dam (ALD) area; Weymouth Woods (WEWO) preserve - WEWO beaver pond; photo by Lori Arent		Photo 6 by: Ken Kneidel Comment: Scotland, 2020-05-12 - edge of Scotland Lake, male
	Photo 7 by: Mark Shields, John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Jackson, 2018-06-26, Panthertown Valley, Nantahala National Forest - in bog. First record for county.		Photo 8 by: Mike Turner, Conrad Wernett, Alyssa Wernett Comment: Scotland, 2017-05-07, Sandhill Game Land; Scotland Lake - adult males
	Photo 9 by: Alicia Jackson Comment: Brunswick, 2016-06-16, Military Ocean Terminal at Sunny Point		Photo 10 by: Alicia Jackson Comment: Brunswick, 2016-06-16, Military Ocean Terminal at Sunny Point
	Photo 11 by: John Petranka Comment: Moore; C, 2016-06-10, Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve. James Creek along Gum Swamp Trail		Photo 12 by: Alicia Jackson Comment: Tyrrell, 2014-06-04, Private property north of US 64
	Photo 13 by: Alicia Jackson Comment: Tyrrell, 2014-05-21, Private property north of US 64 - mating pair		Photo 14 by: Alicia Jackson Comment: Tyrrell, 2014-05-18, Palmetto-Peartree Preserve
	Photo 15 by: Doug Johnston, Vin Stanton Comment: Graham, 2013-07-16, Tulula Bog - Male & Female		Photo 16 by: Doug Johnston, Vin Stanton Comment: Graham, 2013-07-16, Tulula Bog - Male & Female
	Photo 17 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Ed Corey Comment: Bladen, 2013-06-04, seen at Baytree State Park		Photo 18 by: Steve Hall Comment: Montgomery, 2011-06-23, Observed at margin of Roberdo Bog, Uwharrie National Forest
	Photo 19 by: Diana and Terry Hibbitts Comment: Buncombe, 2011-06-03, Lake Powhatan. Originally posted on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2697432 - Male		Photo 20 by: Randy Emmitt Comment: Scotland, 2007-06-16, Sandhills Game Land, mated pair