Mike Powell

Each spring I head out in search of Uhler’s Sundragons (Helocordulia uhleri), one of the earliest dragonflies in my area to emerge. Unlike many of the dragonflies that I commonly see during the summer days, this species is  a “scarce and seldom seen member of the emerald family” and is a “habitat specialist with a brief and early flight period,” according to the Dragonflies of Northern Virginia website. The species requires a clean, sandy or gravelly forest stream with mix of riffles and pools.

Fortunately, I know of a creek where I have regularly seen them over the last few years, and I visited that location on Monday and spotted multiple Uhler’s Sundragons. As you can see in the photos below, this species likes to hang vertically or at an angle. The amber markings at the base of the wings help to distinguish Uhler’s Sundragons from the similar Selys’s Sundragons that have no such markings.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.