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 = 0
Added in 2024-00-00 from a previous year = 1

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
[View PDF]		Eastern Red Damsel (Amphiagrion saucium) by John Petranka
Compare with: Duckweed Firetail  
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.
Amphiagrion_saucium

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Map
Click on county for list of all its records for Eastern Red Damsel
Flight Charts
Distribution Throughout the mountains, and presumably over much or most of the Piedmont. Perhaps present in the western Sandhills, and an isolated record for the central Coastal Plain. The species is a somewhat Northern species, ranging south to central GA.
Abundance Fairly common, to locally common, in the mountains. Seemingly rare in the western half of the Piedmont, and rare to very uncommon in the eastern half, though it can be locally numerous there. Very rare in the western Coastal Plain. Seems to be declining east of the mountains, as there are very few recent records in this large region.
Flight A flight that ends rather early in the season, by mid-summer. The mountain flight occurs between late April and late August. The Piedmont flight is from early May to late June, but it should occur into August; there is a record or two from mid-April. The very few Coastal Plain records are in a narrow window from mid-April to mid-May, but records should occur into July or August.
Habitat Small streams, seeps, bogs, or marshes, with thick vegetation.
Behavior Perches on grasses and sedges, seldom on broad, flat leaves. Though a colorful species with the reddish abdomen, it is quite tiny and easy to overlook.
Comments The absence of county records for much of the central and southwestern Piedmont is odd, considering that there are daily counts in Wake County, at the eastern edge of the Piedmont, of 20 and 50 individuals. It is not a species that is difficult to identify; thus, this odd abundance pattern might be real.
State Rank S3S4
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-17 17:18:40
Photo Gallery for Eastern Red Damsel   18 photos are shown. Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Jason Love

Comment: Clay, 2022-05-30, Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens; iNaturalist Record #119577147		Photo 2 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2021-06-04, Hot Springs area
Photo 3 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2021-04-27, Hot Springs area		Photo 4 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-08-25, Hot Springs area
Photo 5 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-08-22, Hot Springs area		Photo 6 by: Jason Love

Comment: Buncombe, 2019-05-24, Sandy Bottom Wetland Preserve; iNaturalist Record #25727822
Photo 7 by: Mark Shields, John Petranka, Sally Gewalt

Comment: Jackson, 2018-06-26, Panthertown Valley, Nantahala National Forest - in bogs		Photo 8 by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Madison, 2018-05-09, River Road north of Hot Springs - Male and Female and teneral
Photo 9 by: John Petranka

Comment: Caldwell, 2016-05-09, Wilson Creek at Brown Mountain Beach Resort. Male		Photo 10 by: Jim Petranka

Comment: Henderson, 2015-05-28, Common in a floodplain bog.
Photo 11 by: Vin Stanton, Gail Lankford, Janie Owen

Comment: Madison, 2014-05-21, River Road, French Broad River north of Hot Springs - Male		Photo 12 by: Kyle Kittelberger

Comment: Wake, 2013-06-08, seen at a seep near Falls Dam
Photo 13 by: Cary and David Paynter

Comment: Watauga, 2012-06-19, high elevation bog		Photo 14 by: Ali Iyoob, Matt Daw, Dan Irizarry

Comment: Wake, 2011-05-04
Photo 15 by: Beth Brinson

Comment: Haywood, 2007-05-24, Cataloochee area - Male		Photo 16 by: Beth Brinson

Comment: Haywood, 2007-05-24, Cataloochee area - Male
Photo 17 by: Matt Windsor

Comment: Stokes, 2006-06-15, Hanging Rock State Park; OdonataCentral record		Photo 18 by: Lynn Smith

Comment: Jackson, 2002-08-24, Blue Ridge Parkway