NC Odonate Website

Related Species in AESHNIDAE:		Number of records for 2025 = 9
Added in 2025-00-00 from a previous year = 1 (2022-08-04)

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Fawn Darner (Boyeria vinosa) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Ocellated Darner
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Note: The characters apply to both sexes.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Fawn Darner

Flight Charts

Distribution

Nearly statewide, but apparently absent from the immediate eastern Coastal Plain north and south of Albemarle Sound. No records east of Gates, Chowan, Beaufort, and Carteret counties.

Abundance

Uncommon to fairly common (but easily overlooked) in the mountains, Piedmont, and upper Coastal Plain; less numerous in much of the Coastal Plain, but not rare except near the coast.

Flight

The flight begins in mid-May in the Coastal Plain, late May in the Piedmont, and mid-June in the mountains. It extends into early November in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, and to late October in the mountains.

Habitat

Flies low over creeks, typically following the creek banks, poking into nooks and crannies. Favors somewhat slow-moving creeks in hardwood forests.

Behavior

This species and the Ocellated Darner like dark places. It rests for most of the day inside a forest, hanging on twigs; sometimes disturbed when an observer is walking through a forest near a creek. It normally flies late in the afternoon and at dusk.

Comments

Fawn Darners must often be intentionally searched for, looking around creeks late in the day. A dragonfly flying slowly back and forth along creek banks, in shady situations, is often a Fawn Darner.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-09 12:56:09

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Fawn Darner 49 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2025-09-15, Camp Chamblee Turnbull Creek, Elizabethtown, NC - Flying low over the creek		Photo 2 by: Jeff Pippen, Al Hooks Comment: Orange, 2025-09-12, Seen during Carolina Butterfly Society walk
	Photo 3 by: Guy McGrane Comment: Mitchell, 2025-07-12, Road to Rhododendron Gardens from Carver's Gap - Appeared to be road-killed; possibly transported after sticking to car?		Photo 4 by: P Dixon Comment: Buncombe, 2025-01-28, Flat Creek, 200 yards north of Hwy 25/70
	Photo 5 by: Owen McConnell Comment: Graham, 2024-08-07, Phtographed at 9:28 P.M. near UV light attracting Moths		Photo 6 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-06-15, Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest, Elizabethtown, NC - 11:04AM Perched in bushes along the path
	Photo 7 by: Mark Shields, John Petranka Comment: Chatham, 2024-06-13, White Pines Preserve		Photo 8 by: Owen McConnell Comment: Graham, 2023-08-03, Feeding on moths at front porch light at 9:52 p.m.
	Photo 9 by: L. Arent Comment: Watauga, 2022-09-09, Brookshire Park - Male and female in the high grass on the river bank (South Fork New River).		Photo 10 by: Steve Hall Comment: Richmond; C, 2022-08-04, Recorded in the NCBP survey of the Sandhills Game Land - Seen at the edge of a streamhead pocosin
	Photo 11 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Mecklenburg, 2021-09-12, - Stream crossed by Huntersville-Concord Rd., near east end of Oehler Nature Preserve		Photo 12 by: John Petranka Comment: Orange, 2021-08-28, NHCBS, Hollow Rock Nature Park, West of Pickett Road, New Hope Creek
	Photo 13 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Surry, 2021-08-23, Pilot Mountain State Park		Photo 14 by: Tiffany Huffman Comment: Catawba, 2021-08-19, Catawba River at Riverbend Park. iNaturalist record 92235396 posted by John Petranka - Female
	Photo 15 by: Fletcher Stone Comment: Orange, 2021-07-10, Duke Forest Korstian Division near the concrete bridge. iNaturalist record # - Teneral.		Photo 16 by: Jim Petranka Comment: Madison, 2020-07-18, 782 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill. - attracted to black light
	Photo 17 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2019-07-05, Murray Branch Area - Perched during day		Photo 18 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2019-06-12, Broadwing Farm, 8:30pm - Flying weakly out of a tractor shed
	Photo 19 by: Alicia Jackson Comment: Moore; C, 2019-06-11, Hector Creek, between NC Hwy 690 and Little River - Adult		Photo 20 by: Mike Turner Comment: Stokes, 2018-10-07, Dan River @ NC 704 - netted, photographed and released
	Photo 21 by: Mike Turner Comment: Surry, 2018-10-06, Mitchell River @ public fishing area along SR 1330		Photo 22 by: Mike Turner Comment: Forsyth, 2018-09-07, Yadkin River @ SR 1605 (Old US 421)
	Photo 23 by: Mark Shields Comment: Hoke, 2018-09-03, Lumber River, from Wagram Boating Access Area to Lumber River State Park - Chalk Banks boat ramp and back, by kayak		Photo 24 by: Mike Turner Comment: Yadkin, 2018-08-26, Pilot Mountain State Park -- river section
	Photo 25 by: Ken Kneidel Comment: Yancey, 2018-08-10		Photo 26 by: Owen McConneli and Simpson Eason Comment: Graham, 2018-07-31, At 9:22 PM it perched on the porch ceiling of the cabin at 4950 West Buffalo Rd. Moths were being attracted to cabin lights
	Photo 27 by: Mike Turner Comment: Alleghany, 2018-07-15, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.)		Photo 28 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt. Comment: Columbus, 2017-11-02, Lumber River at Fair Bluff. Along the River Walk boardwalk. - Males. One feeding on a male Smoky Rubyspot.
	Photo 29 by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Scotland, 2017-10-01, Sandhills Game Land		Photo 30 by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Scotland, 2017-10-01, Sandhills Game Land