The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
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Related Species in LESTIDAE: Number of records for 2024 = 2

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[View PDF]		Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) by John Petranka, Sally Gewalt
Compare with:   Distinctive
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Note: no comparisons needed; obviously larger than all other species of spreadwing
Archilestes_grandis

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Click on county for list of all its records for Great Spreadwing
Flight Charts
Distribution Throughout the mountains, and over most of the Piedmont; seemingly absent from the Coastal Plain. The range appears to stop at the Fall Line.
Abundance Uncommon in the mountains; generally rare in the western and central Piedmont (with few recent records), and very rare along the eastern edge of the range (Fall Line vicinity). It might be truly absent from the far northeastern Piedmont.
Flight A late-flying damselfly during the year. In the mountains, flies from early August to mid-October, and in the Piedmont from late June to late November, but most records are not until late August. Our highest counts are in September and October.
Habitat Along slow streams, but sometimes in rather degraded places.
Behavior It can often be seen well away from streams, such as around ponds or in fields/forest edges.
Comments This is a very large damselfly, larger than other spreadwings. It should not be confused with any other odonate, as it is practically the only damselfly with a dragonfly-like thorax of a dark ground color and a single very contrasting yellow lateral stripe. The range seems a bit spotty in the mountains and Piedmont, though the species is assumed to occur essentially throughout these regions, and there are a number of recent records for the eastern Piedmont.
State Rank S3S4
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2024-01-03 16:00:01
Photo Gallery for Great Spreadwing   20 photos are shown. Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: L. Arent

Comment: Wilkes; P, 2023-11-16, Buck Mountain, Maple Springs area - 2 males, 1 female		Photo 2 by: Rowan Nygard

Comment: Transylvania, 2023-09-22, Pisgah National Forest, Lake Toxaway; iNaturalist Record #184388423
Photo 3 by: Nell Cant

Comment: Durham, 2022-09-16, Pinecrest Road, Durham; iNaturalist Record #135319758		Photo 4 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-10-14, Hot Springs area - female
Photo 5 by: Kristin Wyatt

Comment: Watauga, 2019-09-20, Zionville		Photo 6 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Clay, 2019-09-04, Nantahala National Forest - male
Photo 7 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Clay, 2019-09-04, Nantahala National Forest - male		Photo 8 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt.

Comment: Alleghany, 2017-09-27, Stone Mountain State Park (STMO). Pond at Superintendent’s residence. - Males.
Photo 9 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt

Comment: Watauga, 2017-09-22, Elk Knob State Park, small marshy pond. Elevation ca. 4,400ft. - 1 Male and 1 mating pair.		Photo 10 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2017-08-19, Richmond Hill Park - Male, near small creek in park
Photo 11 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2017-08-19, Richmond Hill Park - Male, near small creek in park		Photo 12 by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin

Comment: Madison, 2016-10-14, Several mating pairs observed in permanent, fish-free pond on River Bend Drive near Mars Hill.
Photo 13 by: Jim Petranka

Comment: Avery, 2016-09-27, In a small, permanent, fish-free pond in southern Avery County. 		Photo 14 by: Dennis Burnette

Comment: Guilford, 2016-09-16, campus of UNC-Greensboro in Peabody Park - at least two individuals
Photo 15 by: Dennis Burnette

Comment: Guilford, 2016-09-16, campus of UNC-Greensboro in Peabody Park - at least two individuals		Photo 16 by: CL Goforth

Comment: Randolph, 2014-10-27
Photo 17 by: Nancy Cowal

Comment: McDowell; M, 2012-08-29, Old Fort / submitted by Vin Stanton - Female		Photo 18 by: Steve Hall

Comment: Montgomery, 2011-06-23, Observed at margin of Roberdo Bog, Uwharrie National Forest
Photo 19 by: Doug Johnston

Comment: Buncombe, 2010-08-30, By small pond, northern Buncombe Co.		Photo 20 by: Ted Wilcox

Comment: Ashe, 2005-09-14, female