This is a list of the 171 species of Odonata known from Michigan. This is a voucher-based list; all state and county records must be supported by voucher specimens. For more about Michigan’s rare species see this post.
Updated 7 Oct 2024
Previous works:
Catalogue of the Odonata of Michigan by E. J. Kormondy, 1958 (PDF). This is the last published state-wide work!
An annotated list of the Odonata of Michigan by C.F. Byers, 1927 (PDF).
Zygoptera: Damselflies
Lestidae
Great Spreadwing – Archilestes grandis (Rambur)
Southern Spreadwing – Lestes australis Walker
Spotted Spreadwing – Lestes congener Hagen
Northern Spreadwing – Lestes disjunctus Selys
Emerald Spreadwing – Lestes dryas Kirby
Amber-winged Spreadwing – Lestes eurinus Say
Sweetflag Spreadwing – Lestes forcipatus Rambur
Elegant Spreadwing – Lestes inaequalis Walsh
Slender Spreadwing – Lestes rectangularis Say
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing – Lestes unguiculatus Hagen
Swamp Spreadwing – Lestes vigilax Hagen in Selys
Calopterygidae
River Jewelwing – Calopteryx aequabilis Say
Ebony Jewelwing – Calopteryx maculata (Beauvois)
American Rubyspot – Hetaerina americana (Fabricius)
Smoky Rubyspot – Hetaerina titia (Drury)
Coenagrionidae
Eastern Red Damsel- Amphiagrion saucium (Burmeister)
Blue-fronted Dancer – Argia apicalis (Say)
Variable Dancer – Argia fumipennis (Burmeister) – subsp. violacea
Powdered Dancer – Argia moesta (Hagen)
Blue-ringed Dancer – Argia sedula (Hagen)
Blue-tipped Dancer – Argia tibialis (Rambur)
Dusky Dancer – Argia translata Hagen in Selys
Aurora Damsel – Chromagrion conditum (Hagen in Selys)
Subarctic Bluet – Coenagrion interrogatum (Selys)
Taiga Bluet – Coenagrion resolutum (Selys)
River Bluet – Enallagma anna Williamson
Northern Bluet – Enallagma annexum (Hagen)
Rainbow Bluet – Enallagma antennatum (Say)
Azure Bluet – Enallagma aspersum (Hagen)
Double-striped Bluet – Enallagma basidens Calvert
Boreal Bluet – Enallagma boreale Selys
Tule Bluet – Enallagma carunculatum Morse
Familiar Bluet – Enallagma civile (Hagen)
Turquoise Bluet – Enallagma divagans Selys
Marsh Bluet – Enallagma ebrium (Hagen)
Stream Bluet – Enallagma exsulans (Hagen)
Skimming Bluet – Enallagma geminatum Kellicott
Hagen’s Bluet – Enallagma hageni (Walsh)
Orange Bluet – Enallagma signatum (Hagen)
Slender Bluet – Enallagma traviatum Selys – subsp. westfalli
Vernal Bluet – Enallagma vernale Gloyd
Vesper Bluet – Enallagma vesperum Calvert
Citrine Forktail – Ischnura hastata (Say)
Lilypad Forktail – Ischnura kellicotti Williamson
Fragile Forktail – Ischnura posita (Hagen)
Eastern Forktail – Ischnura verticalis (Say)
Sphagnum Sprite – Nehalennia gracilis Morse
Sedge Sprite – Nehalennia irene (Hagen)
Anisoptera: Dragonflies
Aeshnidae
Canada Darner – Aeshna canadensis Walker
Mottled Darner – Aeshna clepsydra Say
Lance-tipped Darner – Aeshna constricta Say
Lake Darner – Aeshna eremita Scudder
Variable Darner – Aeshna interrupta Walker
Sedge Darner – Aeshna juncea (Linnaeus)
Zigzag Darner – Aeshna sitchensis Hagen
Subarctic Darner – Aeshna subarctica Walker
Black-tipped Darner – Aeshna tuberculifera Walker
Shadow Darner – Aeshna umbrosa Walker
Green-striped Darner – Aeshna verticalis Hagen
Common Green Darner – Anax junius (Drury)
Comet Darner – Anax longipes Hagen
Springtime Darner – Basiaeschna janata (Say)
Ocellated Darner – Boyeria grafiana Williamson
Fawn Darner – Boyeria vinosa (Say)
Swamp Darner – Epiaeschna heros (Fabricius)
Taper-tailed Darner – Gomphaeschna antilope (Hagen)
Harlequin Darner – Gomphaeschna furcillata (Say)
Cyrano Darner – Nasiaeschna pentacantha (Rambur)
Spatterdock Darner – Rhionaeschna mutata (Hagen)
Petaluridae
Gray Petaltail – Tachopteryx thoreyi (Hagen in Selys) state endangered
Gomphidae
Horned Clubtail – Arigomphus cornutus (Tough)
Lilypad Clubtail – Arigomphus furcifer (Hagen in Selys)
Unicorn Clubtail – Arigomphus villosipes (Selys)
Black-shouldered Spinyleg – Dromogomphus spinosus Selys
Flag-tailed Spinyleg – Dromogomphus spoliatus (Hagen in Selys)
Midland Clubtail – Gomphurus fraternus (Say)
Splendid Clubtail – Gomphurus lineatifrons (Calvert)
Cobra Clubtail – Gomphurus vastus (Walsh)
Skillet Clubtail – Gomphurus ventricosus (Walsh)
Dragonhunter – Hagenius brevistylus Selys
Mustached Clubtail – Hylogomphus adelphus (Selys)
Green-faced Clubtail – Hylogomphus viridifrons (Hine)
Extra-striped Snaketail – Ophiogomphus anomalus Harvey state special concern
Riffle Snaketail – Ophiogomphus carolus Needham
Boreal Snaketail – Ophiogomphus colubrinus Selys
Pygmy Snaketail – Ophiogomphus howei Bromley state threatened
Rusty Snaketail – Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis (Walsh)
Lancet Clubtail – Phanogomphus exilis (Selys)
Pronghorn Clubtail – Phanogomphus graslinellus (Walsh)
Ashy Clubtail – Phanogomphus lividus (Selys)
Rapids Clubtail – Phanogomphus quadricolor (Walsh)
Dusky Clubtail – Phanogomphus spicatus (Hagen in Selys)
Common Sanddragon – Progomphus obscurus (Rambur)
Eastern Least Clubtail – Stylogomphus albistylus (Hagen in Selys)
Riverine Clubtail – Stylurus amnicola (Walsh) state special concern
Laura’s Clubtail – Stylurus laurae Williamson state special concern
Elusive Clubtail – Stylurus notatus (Rambur) state threatened
Russet-tipped Clubtail – Stylurus plagiatus (Selys) state endangered
Zebra Clubtail – Stylurus scudderi (Selys)
Arrow Clubtail – Stylurus spiniceps (Walsh)
Cordulegastridae
Brown Spiketail – Zoraena bilineata Carle
Delta-spotted Spiketail – Zoraena diastatops (Selys)
Tiger Spiketail – Zoreaena erronea (Selys) state threatened
Twin-spotted Spiketail – Zoraena maculata (Selys)
Arrowhead Spiketail – Zoraena obliqua (Say)
Macromiidae
Stream Cruiser – Didymops transversa (Say)
Allegheny River Cruiser – Macromia alleghaniensis Williamson state threatened
Swift River Cruiser – Macromia illinoiensis Walsh
Royal River Cruiser – Macromia taeniolata Rambur
Corduliidae
American Emerald – Cordulia shurtleffii Scudder
Racket-tailed Emerald – Dorocordulia libera (Selys)
Beaverpond Baskettail – Epitheca canis (McLachlan)
Slender Baskettail – Epitheca costalis (Selys)
Common Baskettail – Epitheca cynosura (Say)
Prince Baskettail – Epitheca princeps Hagen
Spiny Baskettail – Epitheca spinigera (Selys)
Stygian Shadowdragon – Neurocordulia yamaskanensis (Provancher)
Lake Emerald – Somatochlora cingulata (Selys)
Ski-tipped Emerald – Somatochlora elongata (Scudder)
Plains Emerald – Somatochlora ensigera Martin
Forcipate Emerald – Somatochlora forcipata (Scudder)
Delicate Emerald – Somatochlora franklini (Selys)
Hine’s Emerald – Somatochlora hineana Williamson federal & state endangered
Incurvate Emerald – Somatochlora incurvata Walker state special concern
Kennedy’s Emerald – Somatochlora kennedyi Walker
Mocha Emerald – Somatochlora linearis (Hagen)
Ocellated Emerald – Somatochlora minor Calvert
Clamp-tipped Emerald – Somatochlora tenebrosa (Say)
Brush-tipped Emerald – Somatochlora walshii (Scudder)
Williamson’s Emerald – Somatochlora williamsoni Walker
Ebony Boghaunter – Williamsonia fletcheri Williamson
Ringed Boghaunter – Williamsonia lintneri (Hagen in Selys)
Libellulidae
Calico Pennant – Celithemis elisa (Hagen)
Halloween Pennant – Celithemis eponina (Drury)
Banded Pennant – Celithemis fasciata Kirby
Eastern Pondhawk – Erythemis simplicicollis (Say)
Great Pondhawk – Erythemis vesiculosa (Fabricius)
Band-winged Dragonlet – Erythrodiplax umbrata (Linnaeus)
Chalk-fronted Corporal – Ladona julia (Uhler)
Frosted Whiteface – Leucorrhinia frigida Hagen
Crimson-ringed Whiteface – Leucorrhinia glacialis Hagen
Hudsonian Whiteface – Leucorrhinia hudsonica (Selys)
Dot-tailed Whiteface – Leucorrhinia intacta (Hagen)
Belted Whiteface – Leucorrhinia proxima Calvert
Golden-winged Skimmer – Libellula auripennis Burmeister
Spangled Skimmer – Libellula cyanea Fabricius
Slaty Skimmer – Libellula incesta Hagen
Widow Skimmer – Libellula luctuosa Burmeister
Twelve-spotted Skimmer – Libellula pulchella Drury
Four-spotted Skimmer – Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus
Painted Skimmer – Libellula semifasciata Burmeister
Great Blue Skimmer – Libellula vibrans Fabricius
Elfin Skimmer – Nannothemis bella (Uhler)
Blue Dasher – Pachydiplax longipennis (Burmeister)
Wandering Glider – Pantala flavescens (Fabricius)
Spot-winged Glider – Pantala hymenaea (Say)
Eastern Amberwing – Perithemis tenera (Say)
Common Whitetail – Plathemis lydia (Drury)
Blue-faced Meadowhawk – Sympetrum ambiguum (Rambur)
Variegated Meadowhawk – Sympetrum corruptum (Hagen)
Saffron-winged Meadowhawk – Sympetrum costiferum (Hagen)
Black Meadowhawk – Sympetrum danae (Sulzer)
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk – Sympetrum internum Montgomery
White-faced Meadowhawk – Sympetrum obtrusum (Hagen)
Ruby Meadowhawk – Sympetrum rubicundulum (Say)
Band-winged Meadowhawk – Sympetrum semicinctum (Say)
Autumn Meadowhawk – Sympetrum vicinum (Hagen)
Carolina Saddlebags – Tramea carolina (Linnaeus)
Striped Saddlebags – Tramea darwini Kirby
Black Saddlebags – Tramea lacerata Hagen
Red Saddlebags – Tramea onusta Hagen
Taxonomy and scientific names follow:
Paulson, D., Schorr, M., Abbott, J., Bota-Sierra, C., Deliry, C., Dijkstra, K.-D. and Lozano, F. (Coordinators). 2024. World Odonata List. OdonataCentral, University of Alabama. Available at: https://www.odonatacentral.org/app/#/wol/. Last revision: 28 Sep 2024.
Common names follow:
Paulson, D.R., and S.W. Dunkle. 2024. A Checklist of North American Odonata, including English name, Etymology, Type Locality and Distribution. 2024 Edition. 92 pp. Available online (PDF).
Please cite this page as
Craves, J.A., and D.S. O’Brien. 2024. Michigan checklist. Michigan Odonata Survey website. Available online at <https://www.michodonata.org/michigan-checklist>. Accessed [date].