North Carolina's 189 Odonate species

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Related Species in LIBELLULIDAE: Number of records for 2024 = 0

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Chalk-fronted Corporal (Ladona julia) by Matt Weldon. 2017-05-16 LaGrange County, IN
Compare with: Blue Corporal  
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.

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Map
Click on county for list of all its records for Chalk-fronted Corporal
Flight Charts
Distribution This is a Northern species normally found south only to VA and WV. Quite a range extension occurred when ten larvae were collected in Jackson County in 2003. One should not assume that it occurs in most counties northward.
Abundance Obviously extremely rare in the mountains.
Flight Mainly in early and mid-summer. No flight date information for NC, as the record applies only to larvae and not to adults. However, records in VA fall between 4 June and 8 August, based on the Atlas of Rare Butterflies, Skippers, Moths, Dragonflies & Damselflies of Virginia website.
Habitat Breeds at bogs, boggy pond or lake margins, and slow portions of streams -- usually in quite acidic waters.
Behavior The species often forages well away from water, by perching on the ground or other conspicuous places. In this regard, it is quite similar in behavior to the Blue Corporal and Common Whitetail.
Comments This is a very common dragonfly in Northern states, and being quite bold in perching and striking in appearance (at least males), it is a familiar species. If it were widely occurring in the NC mountains, there would certainly have been more records by now, as it is hard to overlook. The NC record came from Panthertown Bog. Here is the text submitted by Erika Yates on 17 July 2003: "... added to the dragonfly species composition which included sampling in the [Panthertown Valley] bog. I found a new state record, Ladona (Libellula) julia, verified by Dr. Mike May." However, her thesis indicates that she saw no adults, but did collect ten larvae, verified by Dr. May. [He is a co-author of several major reference works on odonates, and thus the NC Natural Heritage Program considers the record as valid.] However, this record does not appear on the OdonataCentral map, likely because there is no specimen or photo of an adult available for NC.
State Rank S1
State Status SR
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2021-02-09 10:45:29

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