NC Odonate Website

Related Species in LIBELLULIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 5

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Red-veined Pennant (Celithemis bertha) by Mark Shields

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.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Red-veined Pennant

Flight Charts

Distribution

Scattered over nearly all of the Coastal Plain and eastern Piedmont; a few records for the southwestern Piedmont (Catawba and Cleveland counties), plus outliers in the southwestern mountains (Clay and Graham counties). Found primarily in the southern half of the Coastal Plain (sporadic north of Harnett and Pitt counties). NC lies at the northern edge of the species' range, but it has been recorded once in VA, in 2014 (as a stray?).

Abundance

Uncommon to locally fairly common in the southern half of the Coastal Plain; rare in the northern half of the Coastal Plain and the extreme eastern Piedmont; very rare farther west.

Flight

In the Coastal Plain, the flight occurs from mid- or late May to mid-October; however, the earliest record for the Piedmont isn't until late June. The three mountain records with dates are from late June to early August.

Habitat

Primarily at ponds and lakes with much emergent vegetation along the shore.

See also Habitat Account for Coastal Plain Herbaceous Ponds and Sloughs

Behavior

Unlike most other Celithemis pennants, adults seldom stray far from ponds or small lakes, and may forage well out in the water and perch on logs and other material emerging from the water.

Comments

Though a common species, apparently, in FL (Dunkle 2000), it is not common northward. Beaton (2007) calls it "Uncommon below the Fall Line" in GA, and as NC lies at the northern edge of the species' range, it is no more numerous here (unlike the Amanda's Pennant, which is more common in NC than in GA). Despite it having been found in nearly 40% of the counties in NC, including all in the southern Coastal Plain, it and the Double-ringed Pennant are the only ones (of seven species) in the genus that are not common (at least locally) in the state. It is most likely to be seen by working the margins of beaver ponds and man-made ponds in the Sandhills region, but males may perch on vegetation well out from shore (where binoculars or a telephoto lens may be needed for identification). A surprising count of 15, documented by several photos, was made in the northeastern Piedmont in Granville County, in 2013.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-16 14:06:56

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Red-veined Pennant 21 photos are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-05-23, Suggs Mill Pond Gamelands, Horseshow Lake - 2:14PM At the boat ramp area		Photo 2 by: Claire Herzog Comment: Transylvania, 2023-08-07, Ticoa Lake; iNaturalist Record #177269144 - adult male
	Photo 3 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Carteret, 2023-06-11, Croatan NF--Patsy Pond area		Photo 4 by: Mike Turner Comment: Bladen, 2022-07-09, Bay Tree Lake State Natural Area - ad.males
	Photo 5 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Scotland, 2022-06-26, Marston, just south of town, Pine Lake near Sneads Grove Road.		Photo 6 by: Mike Turner Comment: Hoke, 2022-06-19, Nicholson Creek Game Land - mostly ad.males
	Photo 7 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Moore; C, 2020-07-20, Reservoir Park		Photo 8 by: Pat Momich Comment: Graham, 2020-06-29, Lake Santeetlah
	Photo 9 by: R. Emmitt Comment: Richmond; C, 2019-06-15, Broad Acres Lake - all teneral		Photo 10 by: Mark Shields Comment: Scotland, 2018-09-03, Scotland Lake, Sandhills Game Land
	Photo 11 by: Mark Shields Comment: Brunswick, 2018-08-26, Boiling Spring Lakes - Spring Lake Park		Photo 12 by: Mark Shields Comment: Chowan, 2018-06-09, Edenton National Fish Hatchery. First record for county.
	Photo 13 by: Mike Turner Comment: Bladen, 2017-05-20, Jones Lake State Park - 2 adult males and 1 ovipositing female		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields Comment: Columbus, 2016-07-22, Lake Waccamaw, southern end between dam and pier
	Photo 15 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2016-06-12, Stones Creek Game Land		Photo 16 by: Mark Shields Comment: Pamlico, 2015-09-04, Upper Broad Creek at Lee
	Photo 17 by: Mark Shields Comment: Bladen, 2015-08-23, Jones Lake State Park; circumnavigated lake in a kayak		Photo 18 by: Mike Turner Comment: Granville, 2013-08-15, Lake Butner (Holt Lake) - 14 males, 1 pair in tandem
	Photo 19 by: Mike Turner Comment: Granville, 2013-08-15, Lake Butner (Holt Lake) - 14 males, 1 pair in tandem		Photo 20 by: E. Corey Comment: Bladen, 2008-06-03, female
	Photo 21 by: R Emmitt Comment: Scotland, 2002-06-08, Cameron Lake, Female "spotted form"