Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Common Green Darner

Anax junius

Description:

These are among the largest dragonflies in Minnesota with a length and wingspan of about three inches. They have a green thorax; males have a blue abdomen while females have a reddish abdomen.

Habitat:

I often find these large dragonflies in fields and near wetlands, where they breed. They are migratory, however, and can be found in all sorts of habitat, except heavy forest.

Notes:

These large insects lay eggs in aquatic plants and the nymphs live in water until they crawl ashore and molt into the adult form. I've seen adults in downtown St. Paul (MN), but often find them both near water features and in uplands. I had been trying to photograph flying dragonflies for several years, quite unsuccessfully. On this day, however, this particular dragonfly came flitting past and I got three good shots of it.

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

5 Comments

Gordon Dietzman
Gordon Dietzman 12 years ago

It can be quite the challenge....grin.

Nadi88
Nadi88 12 years ago

wow, good job! taking a photo while it's flying!

i try the same thing with different Dragon fly it is really hard and Fantastic work by the way

Gordon Dietzman
Gordon Dietzman 13 years ago

Well, I've been trying for several years to get a dragonfly in flight, but had been spectacularly unsuccessful. Then this darner flew past me one day and I got three good shots. Lucky....

rangergirl0141
rangergirl0141 13 years ago

I have NEVER got a darner in flight! Love this one!

Gordon Dietzman
Spotted by
Gordon Dietzman

Minnesota, USA

Spotted on Feb 28, 2011
Submitted on Feb 28, 2011

Related Spottings

[Anax imperator] Dragonfly ANAX IMPERATOR Lesser Green Emperor

Nearby Spottings

Wild Geranium Wild Rose Scarlet Tanager Partridge Pea

Reference

Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team