NC Odonate Website

Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 2

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Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) by Rob Van Epps (left) - Mark Shields (right)

Compare with: Blue-tipped Dancer
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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 Variable Dancer

Flight Charts

Distribution

Essentially statewide, with the exception being the northeastern Coastal Plain, where it may be legitimately absent from several counties. Two subspecies are represented in North Carolina: Argia fumipennis fumipennis in the Coastal Plain and far eastern Piedmont, and A. f. violacea in the mountains and most of the Piedmont.

Abundance

Common to locally abundant across the state (except rare to absent in the extreme northeast); can often be the most numerous damselfly at a site. Most numerous in the Sandhills, where two of our three largest one-day totals have been made.

Flight

The flight occurs nearly throughout the odonate flight season, as the Coastal Plain records fall from early April to mid-November. The Piedmont flight occurs between late April and early November, while the mountain flight starts slightly later -- early May to early November.

Habitat

Extremely widespread in habitats. Around small streams, ditches, pond margins, and other slow waters; usually where there are grasses and sedges. May often feed well away from water.

Behavior

Arguably the most conspicuous of the dancers, the males are easily seen perched on rocks or other vegetation in or close to a stream. They can be found on dirt tracks or roads away from water.

Comments

As the name implies, this species has highly variable color patterns, though there is generally some lavender coloration on the thorax. It is another of our more familiar damselflies in the state, being common to very common in each of the three provinces and recorded from every county except for four in the northeastern corner of the state. There are two subspecies in the state -- the dark-winged nominate one (Argia fumipennis fumipennis) is found over most of the Coastal Plain, whereas the clear-winged one (A. fumipennis violacea) occurs over the remainder of the state.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 10:57:21

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Variable Dancer 50 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2025-01-05, Hot springs, pond sample		Photo 2 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Macon, 2024-07-24, Wilson Lakes, Nantahala National Forest
	Photo 3 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-05-23, Bay Tree Natural Area, Harrells, NC - 1:52P - in sedges at lake edge		Photo 4 by: p dixon Comment: Madison, 2021-05-30, Hot Springs area, teneral male
	Photo 5 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Cumberland, 2021-04-21,		Photo 6 by: Charles H Williams Comment: Guilford, 2020-07-31, 2:12 PM beside lake at Country Park 36.124674, -79.835216 - 10:52 am beside Palmetto trail 36.144404, -79.856148
	Photo 7 by: p dixon Comment: Madison, 2020-07-01, Hot Springs area		Photo 8 by: Ken Kneidel Comment: Burke; P, 2020-06-26, McGaillard Falls Park
	Photo 9 by: Doug Allen Comment: Polk; P, 2020-06-14, Caroland Farms - NC section; private ponds		Photo 10 by: Mike Turner Comment: Cumberland, 2020-05-18, retention pond @ 35.0858, -78.9181
	Photo 11 by: Aaron Edmonds Comment: Harnett; C, 2019-05-11, Campbell University- Marshbanks Property		Photo 12 by: Ken Kneidel Comment: Burke; P, 2018-08-17, McGaillard Falls Park
	Photo 13 by: Mike Turner Comment: Forsyth, 2018-07-01, Winston Lake - adult males		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields Comment: Transylvania, 2018-06-27, Gorges State Park (GORG) - at Raymond Fisher Pond
	Photo 15 by: Mark Shields Comment: Jackson, 2018-06-25, Pond beside Breedlove Road, 5 km northeast of Cashiers		Photo 16 by: Ken Kneidel Comment: Yancey, 2018-06-16
	Photo 17 by: Aaron Edmonds Comment: Harnett; C, 2018-05-15, Flat Branch		Photo 18 by: Guy McGrane Comment: Watauga, 2017-08-05, Brookshire Park - pair in tandem, and separate male photographed.
	Photo 19 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2017-07-25, Ledges River Park, French Broad River - Male		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields Comment: Alleghany, 2017-06-28, Little Glade Mill Pond, Blue Ridge Parkway
	Photo 21 by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Mecklenburg, 2017-06-13 - Roosevelt Wilson Park; Davidson		Photo 22 by: Mark Shields Comment: Rutherford; P, 2017-06-02, Morse Park, Lake Lure
	Photo 23 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Scotland, 2017-05-15, Scotland Lake and in-flowing creek, Sandhills Game Land		Photo 24 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2016-08-30, retention ponds, Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville
	Photo 25 by: Mark Shields Comment: Bladen, 2016-06-10, Jones Lake		Photo 26 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2015-07-13, Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville - Female. In grass along edge of woods; male seen but not photographed
	Photo 27 by: Curtis Smalling Comment: Avery, 2015-07-03, Banner Elk Greenway Trail		Photo 28 by: Curtis Smalling Comment: Wilkes; M, 2015-06-16, WRC fishing put-in on Triplett Rd.
	Photo 29 by: Curtis Smalling Comment: McDowell; P, 2015-06-04, US Hwy 221 Baseball field park on Linville River		Photo 30 by: Jason Love Comment: Macon, 2015-05-25, Found in backyard; 2450 Middle Creek Rd., Otto - Female, netted, photo, released