Dragonflies and Damselflies of Oregon and Washington

The species found in Oregon and Washington are listed below. If I have been able to photograph the species I provide a link. Click here for county records for each state.

My photos were primarily taken with natural light and a natural setting. You can find high resolution scanner images of voucher specimens of most of these species on Dennis Paulson's site. Ray Bruun has obtained excellent results using flash.

Photos by Dennis Deck unless otherwise specified. Send comments or corrections to Dennis at ddeck@rmccorp.com

Damselflies (Family Zygoptera)

• River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis)
• American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)

Spreadwings (Subfamily Lestidae)

• Spreadwing species (Lestes and Archilestes)
• California Spreadwing (Archilestes californica)
• Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener)
• Northern Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) (formerly Common Spreadwing)
• Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas)
• Black Spreadwing (Lestes stultus) (recent Oregon state record 2000)
• Lyre-Tipped Spreadwing (Lestes unguiculatus)

Pond damsels (Subfamily Coengrionidae)

• Western Red Damsel (Amphiagrion abbreviatum)
• Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)
• California Dancer (Argia agrioides)
• Paiute Dancer (Argia alberta)
• Emma's Dancer (Argia emma)
• Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens)
• Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana)
• Taiga Bluet (Coenagrion resolutum)
• Bluet species (Enallagma sp.)
• Northern Bluet (Enallagma annexum)
• River Bluet (Enallagma anna)
• Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale)
• Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
• Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) (recent Oregon state record 1998)
• Alkali Bluet (Enallagma clausum)
• Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)
• Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)
• Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis)
• Swift Forktail (Ischnura erratica)
• Sedge Sprite (Nehalennia irene) (recent Oregon record 2001)

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Dragonflies (Family Anisoptera)

Petaltails (Subfamily Petaluridae)

• Black Petaltail (Tanypteryx hageni)

Darners (Subfamily Aeshnidae)

• Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
• Matrix Darner species (Aeshna/Rhionaeshna sp.)
• Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) (formerly Aeshna)
• California Darner (Rhionaeschna californica) (formerly Aeshna)
• Canada Darner (Aeshna canadensis)
• Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta) (Unconfirmed)
• Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta interna)
• Sedge Darner (Aeshna juncea)
• Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna palmata)
• Zigzag Darner (Aeshna sitchensis) Recent Oregon state record 1999
• Subarctic Darner (Aeshna subarctica) Recent Oregon state record 1999
• Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa occidentalis)
• Walker's Darner (Aeshna walkeri)

Clubtails (Subfamily Gomphidae)

• White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus)
• Columbia Clubtail (Gomphurus lynnae) (Recently recognized as a species in 1983)
• Pacific Clubtail (Gomphus kurilis)
• Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis)
• Bison Snaketail (Ophiogomphus bison)
• Great Basin Snaketail (Ophiogomphus morrisoni)
• Sinuous Snaketail (Ophiogomphus occidentis)
• Pale Snaketail (Ophiogomphus severus severus)
• Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis) (Unconfirmed)
• Olive Clubtail (Stylurus olivaceus)

Spiketails (Subfamily Cordulegastridae)

• Pacific Spiketail (Cordulegaster dorsalis)

Cruisers (Subfamily Macromiidae)

• Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica)

Emeralds (Subfamily Corduliidae)

• American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffi)
• Beaverpond Baskettail (Epitheca canis)
• Spiny Baskettail (Epitheca spinigera)
• Ringed Emerald (Somatochlora albicincta)
• Ocellated Emerald (Somatochlora minor)
• Mountain Emerald (Somatochlora semicircularis)
• Brush-tipped Emerald (Somatochlora walshii) Recent Oregon state record 1998

Skimmers (Subfamily Libellulidae)

• Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collacata)
• Widow Skimmer (Libellual luctuosa)
• Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellual forensis)
• Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellual pulchella)
• Comanche Skimmer (Libellula comanche)
• Bleached Skimmer (Libellula composita)
• Hoary Skimmer (Libellula nodisticta)
• Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)
• Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)
• Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) (considered Libellula by some authors)
• Desert Whitetail (Plathemis subornata) (considered Libellula by some authors)
• Chalk-fronted Corporal (Ladona julia) (Considered Libellula by some authors)
• Crimson-ringed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia glacialis)
• Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica)
• Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)
• Belted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia proxima) (Unconfirmed) (formerly Red-waisted Whiteface)
• Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
• Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) (recent state record 2001)
• Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)
• Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea)
• Meadowhawk species (Sympetrum sp.)
• Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
• Saffron-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum costiferum)
• Black Meadowhawk (Sympetrum danae)
• Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum)
• Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum)
• Western Meadowhawk (Sympetrum occidentale)
• Red-veined Meadowhawk (Sympetrum madidum)
• White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)
• Western Meadowhawk (Sympetrum occidentale)
• Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes)
• Band-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum)
• Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum) (formerly Yellow-legged Meadowhawk)
• Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Other large insects along the river or marsh

• Giant Stonefly (Pteronarcys sp.)

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