The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 189 Odonate species

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Sort Species by: Family   Scientific Name       [ Undocumented ]
Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE: Number of records for 2025 = 2
Added in 2025-00-00 from a previous year = 1

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
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Aurora Damsel (Chromagrion conditum) by John Petranka
Compare with:   Distinctive
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.
Chromagrion_conditum

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Map
Click on county for list of all its records for Aurora Damsel
Flight Charts
Distribution Throughout the mountains; scattered over the northern half of the Piedmont, but possibly absent in the extreme southeastern counties. Absent from the Coastal Plain.
Abundance Fairly common in the mountains, at least locally. Rare over most of the Piedmont, but apparently uncommon in the foothills; clearly declining in the state away from the mountains, with hardly any recent records. Possibly absent in a few counties in the southeastern Piedmont. The highest counts are from the mountains and foothills.
Flight The mountain flight is from late April to mid-August, whereas the Piedmont flight is from late April to mid-June. However, there is no reason the flight in the Piedmont should be narrower than that in the mountains, and it likely flies throughout July and into August.
Habitat Still waters of pools/ponds -- such as beaver ponds, bogs, seeps, and slow streams. Not often found far from water.
Behavior Males readily perch on leaves of shrubs or saplings along shores, rarely out on emergent vegetation in the water. The partially spread wings help in identification.
Comments There are relatively few recent records from the Piedmont, especially the southern half of the Piedmont. Does this indicate a recent decline, and if so, owing to global warming? There has been an increase in Piedmont observers since the time of Cuyler a few decades ago, and yet the species is not being reported from this large region. The species should be easily identified, at least with photographs, if the yellow lower thorax is visible.
State Rank S3S4
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 11:36:09

Photo Gallery for Aurora Damsel   27 photos are shown. Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 1 by: Al Hooks

Comment: Clay, 2025-05-17, Buck Creek Beaver Pond
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 2 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2024-12-28, Hot springs, pond sample
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 3 by: Harry LeGrand, Lori Arent, Audrey Whitlock

Comment: Watauga, 2024-06-11, - Elk Knob SP pond; photo by Lori Arent
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 4 by: Matt Spangler

Comment: Macon, 2023-05-13, Highlands--Ravenel Lake - teneral
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 5 by: Tom Howe

Comment: Swain, 2022-06-06, among vegetation at edge of wetland - blue rings on black abdomen, S10 black, S8-9 blue, wings spread at rest like Lestes
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 6 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2021-04-27, Davis Branch
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 7 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-08, Little Glade Millpond on Blue Ridge Parkway
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 8 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-05-30, Little Glade Mill Pond on Blue Ridge Parkway
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 9 by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and party.

Comment: Avery, 2019-05-21, Pond on private property that adjoins the Blue Ridge Parkway in southern Avery County. - Including tandem pairs.
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 10 by: Mark Shields, John Petranka, Sally Gewalt

Comment: Jackson, 2018-06-26, Panthertown Valley, Nantahala National Forest - in bog and along Panthertown Creek. First record for county.
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 11 by: Ken Kneidel

Comment: Yancey, 2018-06-17 - vegetated area on edge of small pond
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 12 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Clay, 2018-05-12, Beaver pond on Buck Creek Road - Male, Female, teneral
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 13 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Madison, 2018-05-09, River Road north of Hot Springs - Male
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 14 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Alleghany, 2017-06-28, Little Glade Mill Pond, Blue Ridge Parkway
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 15 by: John Petranka

Comment: Transylvania, 2017-05-03, Lake Imaging, Dupont State Forest. - Male.
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 16 by: Owen McConnell

Comment: Graham, 2016-06-12, New County Record - Tulula Wetlands, pond #8
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 17 by: Curtis Smalling

Comment: Watauga, 2015-06-02, Meat Camp Creek Environmental Studies Area
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 18 by: Vin Stanton, Virginia Senechal

Comment: Henderson, 2013-06-20, Fletcher Park, Fletcher - Male
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 19 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2012-05-25, Owen Park ponds, Warren Wilson College,Swannanoa River - Male
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 20 by: Vin Stanton, Doug Johnston, Gail Lankford, Janie Owen

Comment: Madison, 2012-05-17, French Broad River, Pisgah National Forest - Female
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 21 by: Jeff Beane

Comment: Wilkes; P, 2011-05-11, 6.25 mi. ESE Moravian Falls, ?Hartness Bog?
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 22 by: Curtis Smalling

Comment: Watauga, 2010-05-28, Meat Camp Creek Environmental Studies Area - male and female
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 23 by: Curtis Smalling

Comment: Watauga, 2010-05-26, Meat Camp Creek Environmental Studies Area - 2 pairs in wheel
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 24 by: Jim Johnson

Comment: Caldwell, 2009-06-01, Wilson Creek at Phillips Branch; iNaturalist Record #471262
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 25 by: Ted Wilcox

Comment: Ashe, 2006-05-27, immature male
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 26 by: Ted WIlcox

Comment: Ashe, 2005-05-26, female
Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditumPhoto 27 by: Ted Wilcox

Comment: Ashe, 2004-06-09, male