Best Darner

Anax imperator, commonly known as the Emperor Dragonfly, is a large dragonfly species native to Europe. It’s notable for being one of the continent’s largest dragonflies, characterized by its striking blue coloration on the males and prominent size. This darner belongs to the Aeshnidae family and is...

The Comet Darner, *Anax longipes*, is a sizable dragonfly species found primarily in eastern United States. It’s notable for the vibrant red coloration of male adults and their preference for undisturbed woodland ponds. These dragonflies are important indicators of aquatic ecosystem health and are f...

The Australian Emperor (Hemianax papuensis) is a substantial dragonfly species native to Australia. It belongs to the Aeshnidae family, commonly known as darner dragonflies. This insect is notable for its robust flight pattern and impressive size. The Australian Emperor is frequently observed patrol...

The Common Green Darner (*Anax junius*) is a sizable dragonfly found throughout North America. It’s recognized by its impressive size and remarkable annual migrations, often traveling long distances. These dragonflies are particularly noticeable in early spring when they emerge. They are of interest...

The Vagrant Emperor, *Hemianax ephippiger*, is a large dragonfly native to desert regions of Africa and Europe. Notably, it undertakes significant migratory movements across continents, spanning vast distances in search of suitable breeding habitats. This species belongs to the Aeshnidae family, com...

The Swamp darner (*Epiaeschna heros*) is a sizable dragonfly found primarily in eastern North American swamps and wetlands. It’s notable for being one of the continent's largest dragonflies by size and mass. This species is particularly useful for researchers studying aquatic insect populations and...

The Blue-eyed Darner, *Rhionaeschna multicolor*, is a striking dragonfly species native to western United States. It’s notable for its vibrant blue compound eyes and preference for foraging over aquatic habitats like ponds. This darner, belonging to the Aeshnidae family, is observed primarily by ins...

The Twilight Darner (Gynacantha nervosa) is a large dragonfly of the Aeshnidae family, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. It is specifically adapted to a crepuscular lifestyle, resting in dense foliage during the day and becoming active at dusk to hunt small insects. As a de...

Coryphaeschna ingens, known as the Regal darner, is a large dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae found in the southeastern United States, with populations concentrated in Florida and along the Gulf Coast. It is among the larger North American darners and displays a brownish body with greenish markings...

The Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) is a dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae, first described by the French naturalist Pierre-André Latreille in 1832. It is widely distributed across southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, and is known for its migratory behavior. Males are identifia...

The Brown Hawker, Aeshna grandis, is a large dragonfly in the hawker family Aeshnidae, distributed across much of Europe and parts of western Asia. Adults are recognizable by a predominantly brown body and amber-brown suffusion across the wings, a combination that is especially noticeable in flight....

The Cyrano darner (Nasiaeschna pentacantha) is a large dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae found in eastern North America, particularly in swampy and slow-moving water habitats. It is the sole member of its genus, distinguished by a pronounced forward projection of the frons (forehead) that resembles...

The Fawn darner (Boyeria vinosa) is a large dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae found across eastern North America. It is distinguished by its mottled brown coloration, which provides camouflage against tree bark, and by its unusual habit of flying primarily at twilight rather than during daylight. Th...

The Pacific Spiketail (Cordulegaster dorsalis) is a large dragonfly belonging to the Cordulegastridae family, distributed across western North America. It is recognized by its striking black and yellow coloration, featuring distinct yellow rings along the length of its abdomen. This species is close...

The Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) is a medium-sized dragonfly in the darner family, Aeshnidae, with a widespread range across Europe and Asia. As its name suggests, the species is highly mobile and displays strong migratory behavior, often expanding its range northward during warmer months. Unlike s...

The Amazon darner (*Anax amazili*) is a dragonfly species belonging to the family Aeshnidae, found primarily in the northern regions of South America. It inhabits tropical environments, particularly within the vast wetlands and river systems of the Amazon basin. Like other members of the darner fami...

The ocellated darner (Boyeria grafiana) is a dragonfly species found across eastern North America, particularly near shaded rivers and streams. It belongs to the family Aeshnidae and is recognized by the distinctive blue spots atop its thorax and head that superficially resemble small eyes. The inse...

The Spatterdock darner (*Rhionaeschna mutata*) is a North American dragonfly notable for its strong association with spatterdock aquatic plants in eastern regions of the United States.

The Norfolk hawker, Anaciaeschna isoceles, is a large brown dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. Adults are identifiable by green eyes, largely clear wings, and a conspicuous yellow triangular mark on the second abdominal segment. In Britain it was historically associated particularly with the Norfolk...

The lake darner, Aeshna eremita, is a large dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae found across northern North America. It is associated with lakes, ponds, bogs, and other freshwater habitats, where adults patrol over water and along shorelines. Males are predominantly dark with blue markings, while fema...

The Harlequin darner (Gomphaeschna furcillata) is a dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae found across eastern North America. It is one of the earliest dragonfly species to appear in spring, with adults typically emerging in March or April in woodland habitats. The species is medium-sized with muted bro...

The Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa) is a large dragonfly species native to North America. It is recognized by its brownish body decorated with blue and green lateral spots, though its exact markings can vary by region and sex. This species is notably adapted to cooler temperatures, allowing it to mai...

The taper-tailed darner, Gomphaeschna antilope, is a dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae found in eastern North America. It is associated with wooded swamps, boggy wetlands, and other shaded habitats containing shallow or temporary water, and adults are typically encountered in spring. Its narrow, tap...

Described by Philip Calvert in 1905, the Arroyo Darner (*Rhionaeschna dugesi*) is a New World dragonfly recognized by its distinct blue markings and preference for arroyo habitats.

The Canada Darner, Aeshna canadensis, is a large dragonfly in the darner family Aeshnidae found across southern Canada and the northern United States. Its dark body bears blue, green, or yellowish markings, with coloration and pattern varying by sex and age. Adults are often observed in late summer...

The Paddle-tailed Darner, Aeshna palmata, is a large dragonfly in the darner family Aeshnidae native to western North America. Its common name refers to the broadened, paddle-like terminal appendages of the male, an identification feature used alongside the body's blue or green markings. It inhabits...

The Green-striped Darner (*Aeshna verticalis*) is a large dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae found in parts of eastern North America. Adults have a dark thorax marked with green lateral stripes, while the abdomen bears paired pale markings that help distinguish the species from similar darners. It is...

The Mottled Darner (Aeshna clepsydra) is a large dragonfly species belonging to the family Aeshnidae, found across eastern North America. It is distinguished by its mottled brown and gray coloration on the thorax, which provides effective camouflage against tree bark when the insect rests vertically...

The Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta) is a dragonfly species in the family Aeshnidae found across North America. It frequents vegetated ponds and marshes for breeding and, like other members of the genus Aeshna, is a strong flier that preys on other insects on the wing. Males can be identified...