Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Resources
Status
- BC: Blue – S3S4 (2015)
- COSEWIC: Not Ranked
- SARA: Not Ranked
- Global: Secure (2015)
- Galiano Island Status: Confirmed
Description
The blue dasher is a small dark-blue dragonfly with a white face, metallic green eyes, and a black and yellow striped thorax. The outer halves of the wings are often tinted brown. Blue dashers are enigmatic and rarely still; male blue dasher’s are constantly patrolling their territories and dash from perch to perch to challenge other dragonflies as they look for females with which to mate.
Habitat
Blue dashers are found in a variety of wetlands with abundant aquatic and riparian vegetation, favouring floating plants.
Range
It is found from southern British Columbia east to Ontario, extending south through the U.S. from southern California east to Florida. It also occurs in the Bahamas.
Threats
The loss of wetlands through drainage or filling is the largest threat. Introduced species degrading the riparian zone is also of concern, as well as introduced fish through private landowners.
Galiano Status
Populations have been documented in at least 19 distinct wetlands on Galiano Island.