NC Odonate Website

Related Species in LIBELLULIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 17

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
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Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Blue Dasher Blue Corporal Great Blue Skimmer
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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 Eastern Pondhawk

Flight Charts

Distribution

Statewide; occurs in all 100 counties.

Abundance

Abundant in every county, more so in the Coastal Plain than farther west. Excessively abundant in many Coastal Plain locales. This is the most omnipresent odonate in North Carolina, seen on more field trips than any other species.

Flight

Nearly throughout the dragonfly flight period, except absent in very early spring. The Coastal Plain flight extends from very late March or early April to late October, with one or two records for November. The Piedmont flight is slightly more narrow -- mid-April to late October, and the mountain flight is from late April to mid-October.

Habitat

Ponds, lakes, swamps, and slower portions of river or creeks. Still waters.

Behavior

Adult males are found closer to water than are females and immatures, but they often are seen feeding well away from water. Females and immatures commonly forage far from water, along wooded roads and trails, in fields, and other open sites, though favoring areas close to woods. They often perch flat on the ground (as do many skimmers and some clubtails), but they also perch on twigs and other vegetation.

Comments

This and the Blue Dasher are our most abundant dragonflies in NC, probably numbering in the tens of millions. In fact, Pondhawks are so excessively abundant in some areas in the Coastal Plain and they devour so many other insects that they nearly deplete sites of smaller butterflies, for example. This is our most voracious species, even consuming other Pondhawks! It takes practically no time to become familiar with the species, and they are adept at following you as you walk a jeep road or powerline clearing, ready to pounce on anything -- butterfly, moth, bee, etc. -- flushed by your footsteps.

State Rank

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Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-24 15:12:52

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Eastern Pondhawk 67 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Al Hooks Comment: Clay, 2025-05-17, Buck Creek Beaver Pond		Photo 2 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2025-03-29, Turnbull Creek at Braxton Edge Road, Ammon - At edge of pond
	Photo 3 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-10-06, Suggs Mill Pond Gamelands, Horseshoe Lake - 2:30P		Photo 4 by: Steve Hall Comment: Chatham, 2024-06-09,
	Photo 5 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Mecklenburg, 2022-07-20, Mountain Island Lake, Latta Nature Preserve, Huntersillve		Photo 6 by: Mark Shields Comment: Greene, 2022-06-20, Contentnea Creek at Snow Hill Boating Access Area
	Photo 7 by: John Petranka Comment: Durham, 2021-08-04, NHCBS, New Hope Creek Bottomlands, Old Chapel Hill Road Park along Paved Trail		Photo 8 by: Lynn Swafford Comment: Pitt, 2021-05-24, Male: Pond in Farmville, NC near disk golf course
	Photo 9 by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin Comment: Yancey, 2021-05-24, Along Cane River south of Burnsville. - Male.		Photo 10 by: Jan Hansen Comment: Orange, 2021-04-18, Mason FarmFarm Biological Reserve-Chapel Hill
	Photo 11 by: Mike Turner Comment: Wilkes; P, 2018-07-21, W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir; from dam to ~1000' downstream		Photo 12 by: Mark Shields Comment: Richmond; C, 2018-07-06, Pee Dee River; 2 km stretch upstream from Diggs Tract Access, by kayak
	Photo 13 by: Mike Turner Comment: Davie, 2018-07-03, S. Yadkin River @ Concord Church boating access		Photo 14 by: Chuck Smith Comment: Davidson, 2018-07-02, Lexington. Pond at Finch Park.
	Photo 15 by: Mike Turner Comment: Forsyth, 2018-07-01, Winston Lake		Photo 16 by: Mark Shields Comment: Jackson, 2018-06-25, Pond beside Breedlove Road, 5 km northeast of Cashiers
	Photo 17 by: Mark Shields Comment: Craven, 2018-06-16, Swift Creek; 7 km section between Cool Springs Boating Access Area and NC 43 bridge, by kayak		Photo 18 by: Mark Shields Comment: Chowan, 2018-06-09, Chowan River at Edenhouse Bridge Boating Access Area
	Photo 19 by: Mark Shields Comment: Edgecombe, 2018-05-25, Etheridge Pond, Tar River Game Land		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields Comment: Anson, 2018-04-21, Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge
	Photo 21 by: j.wyche Comment: Gates, 2017-08-07, Merchants Millpond State Park - male eating a female		Photo 22 by: Mark Shields Comment: Lenoir, 2017-08-01, Neuseway Nature Park, Kinston
	Photo 23 by: Mark Shields Comment: Washington, 2017-06-16, Conaby Creek, from boating access area to 2.25 km upstream by kayak		Photo 24 by: Mark Shields Comment: Bertie, 2017-06-16, Boardwalk along Cashie River, Windsor
	Photo 25 by: Curtis Smalling Comment: Macon, 2017-06-06, late afternoon at Highlands Biological Station		Photo 26 by: Mark Shields Comment: Burke; P, 2017-06-04, Johns River Boating Access, north of Morganton
	Photo 27 by: Mark Shields Comment: Rutherford; P, 2017-06-02, Morse Park, Lake Lure		Photo 28 by: Mark Shields Comment: Tyrrell , 2016-09-17, Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk, Columbia
	Photo 29 by: Mark Shields Comment: Jones, 2016-08-14, Individuals not counted; White Oak River, between Dixon Field Landing and Haywood Landing		Photo 30 by: Mark Shields Comment: Pamlico, 2015-09-04, Upper Broad Creek at Lee