The Dragonflies are a large predatory insect that is generally found around lakes and streams, they are quite common on Vancouver Island.
Blue Eyed Darner Dragonfly
You can see the Blue-Eyed Darner Dragonfly on the south coast of the Pacific Northwest. This is a large dragonfly with a length of 6.5 to 8 cm. This species is found from southern British Columbia south to Baja California and Texas. It also occurs throughout Mexico and Central America. This species can be found near lakes, ponds, and marshes at lower elevations. Read More….
Cardinal Meadowhawk Dragonfly
The Cardinal Meadowhawk Dragonfly is small, with only a length of 4 to 5 cm. This species is found from southern British Columbia down the Pacific Northwest coast all the way to Chile. They can be found on the southeast coast of Vancouver Island from Campbell River south. Read More….
Common Whitetail Dragonfly
The Common Whitetail Dragonfly is a stocky, medium-sized dragonfly. It is widespread throughout North America and can be seen in all the Pacific Northwest. It is a species that is easy to recognize by its chalky white coloration that is present on the broad abdomen of mature males. Read More….
Four Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly
The four-spotted skimmer is a medium-sized dragonfly with a length of up to 4.5 cm. The wings are clear except for a clouding along the leading edge. The center of each wing is marked with a small dark dot, also on the leading edge. Additionally, each hind wing is marked with a dark patch near the base. Read More….
Paddletail Darner Dragonfly
The Paddletail Darner Dragonfly is a big dragonfly with a length of up to 7.5 cm. The base colour of the male is brown to brownish-black. The top of the thorax is marked with several yellowish-green dashes, while each side of the thorax is marked with a pair of fairly thick, yellowish-green diagonal stripes. Read More….
Shadow Darner Dragonfly
The Shadow Darner Dragonfly is a large dragonfly with a length of up to 8 cm. This species is found from the Yukon Territories south to California and can be found in all of the Pacific Northwest. This dragonfly can be found near ditches, slow streams and ponds. Read More….
Striped Meadowhawk Dragonfly
The Striped Meadowhawk Dragonfly is a small dragonfly with a length of up to 4 cm. Mature males are mostly red while immature males and females are greenish-yellow to olive green. All are marked on each side of the thorax with a pair of diagonal yellowish stripes. Read More….
Twelve Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly
The Twelve Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly is a fairly large dragonfly with a length up to 6 cm. Each wing is marked with three dark spots, one near the base where it attaches to the body, one in the center that nearly spans the width of the wing and one at the tip. Read More….
Western River Cruiser Dragonfly
The Western River Cruiser Dragonfly is a large dragonfly. The sexes are similar in coloration, but the females are usually larger. The head is brown with greenish-grey eyes that meet across the top of the head. Members of the order Odonata are carnivorous. Adults capture prey by hawking or flying back and forth over an area. Read More….
Dragonflies are a large predatory insect generally found around lakes and streams, they are quite common on Vancouver Island. Dragonfly larvae are aquatic. The dragonfly larvae or nymph is capable of producing a painful bite for humans, so don’t attempt to catch them in your hands.
They are best known for their beautiful colours and the way their body and wings sparkle when they are hovering over the water. Dragonflies have long, thin colourful bodies, large eyes, and two pairs of transparent wings. As with other species of insect, the dragonfly also has six legs, but it is unable to walk on solid ground. In flight, the adult dragonfly can propel itself in six directions which are upward, downward, forward, back, and side to side.
The dragonfly is a large predatory insect generally found around lakes and streams, they are quite common on Vancouver Island. The larvae or nymph is capable of producing a painful bite for humans, so don’t attempt to catch them in your hands.
They are best known for their beautiful colours and the way their body and wings sparkle when they are hovering over the water. Dragonflies have long, thin colourful bodies, large eyes, and two pairs of transparent wings. As with other species of insect, the dragonfly also has six legs, but it is unable to walk on solid ground. In flight, the adult dragonfly can propel itself in six directions which are upward, downward, forward, back, and side to side.
Both the dragonfly and its larvae are carnivorous animals, and they feed exclusively on other small animals. The main prey of the dragonfly are mosquitoes, bees, and other small invertebrates. The larvae feed mainly on aquatic insects and their eggs. The dragonfly is itself, preyed upon by a number of predators including birds, fish, toads, and frogs.
Female dragonflies lay their eggs in water. The dragonfly eggs then hatch into nymphs. which is how most of the dragonfly’s life is spent. The dragonfly nymphs live beneath the water’s surface, catching insects and vertebrates such as tadpoles and fish.
The larval stage of some dragonflies may last as long as five years. When the larva is ready to metamorphose into an adult, it climbs up a reed or other emergent plant. The exposure to air causes the larva to begin breathing. The skin splits at a weak spot behind the head and the adult dragonfly crawls out of its old larval skin, pumps up its wings, and is ready for flight.
I believe I saw a shadow Darner Odanatid in North Vancouver about a week ago. Never seen such a large Odanatid in this area before.
Hi Bud & sons, my name is Kathleen Johnnie. I teach my language, hul’q’umi’num’, which is spoken from about Campbell River, Courtenay to Malahat. Anyway, I was researching dragonflies for my language and your site came up. It was instrumental in helping me find data on the many types we have here and thank you for that.
I do powerpoint presentations for my language teaching sessions and was wondering if you’d mind if I used your pictures, not just for dragonflies, but generally? I find that anchoring a word with a picture is very helpful for learners.
Even if you’re not keen on the idea, thank you for having this site, it was so helpful. We only have one word for dragonfly, tth’utth’sh, at least that I can find. As I researched the many different kinds here, I had your site open to help me find the reasons why some were called what they were called. It was fascinating! It might help us expand our words for the dragonflies; and/or create a science/nature section for our language. All very exciting stuff for me, anyway. Thanks again, let me know if I may use your pix (with credit to you, and this site, of course.) huy tseep q’a (thank you to more than one person)
Hi Kathleen, thank you, of course, you may use the photos. The site was built as a place for others to learn about our island.