NC Odonate Website

Related Species in AESHNIDAE:

Number of records for 2024 = 0

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e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
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Black-tipped Darner (Aeshna tuberculifera) by Jim Petranka

Compare with: Shadow Darner Springtime Darner Green-striped Darner
Identification Tips: Move the cursor over the image, or tap the image if using a mobile device, to reveal ID Tips.
Note: these identification tips apply to both sexes. Female depicted here.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Black-tipped Darner

Flight Charts

Distribution

Northern mountains/foothills only; records only from Ashe, Watauga, Avery, Wilkes, and Burke counties. Ashe County was newly added to the list in 2021.

Abundance

Rare, and possibly local. Poorly known in the state, though there are now a handful of recent records (2016-2022); the last previous record was from 1969.

Flight

Late-flying for a dragonfly, especially in the mountains. The NC dates available occur between 5 August and 29 September, though most are from the last 20 days of September. Likely flies from early August into October, but most odonate field work in the mountains terminates in September and thus few people are likely to be active in the northern mountains when this species is flying.

Habitat

Mostly at ponds with marshy edges, such as cattails. The ponds are typically at high elevations (mainly over 3500 feet).

See also Habitat Account for Montane Herbaceous Ponds

Behavior

Poorly known in NC. All recent records were of individuals seen over or along the edges of ponds, and thus it is not known how far individuals range away from such waters in the state.

Comments

NC lies at the southern edge of the range, as it is not known from Georgia. Jim Petranka photographed an individual -- the first photograph of the species known in NC -- on 27 September 2016. This excellent record has moved the species off of the "historical" list of the N.C. Natural Heritage Program; thus, the State Rank has changed from SH [historical] to S1 [very rare]. Both John and Jim Petranka added additional county records (for Watauga and Burke), documented with photos, in 2017. Mark Shields photographed two individuals at two small high-elevation ponds in northwestern Ashe County in 2021, at a "predictable" locale. Obviously, other ponds in the northern mountains need to be checked in the late summer and fall seasons, especially in August and September.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

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Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2022-12-12 11:23:21

Photo Gallery for Black-tipped Darner 17 photos are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Ashe, 2022-09-17, Two males seen, one netted, photographed and released - Pond Mountain Game Lands		Photo 2 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Ashe, 2022-09-17, Two males seen, one netted, photographed and released - Pond Mountain Game Lands
	Photo 3 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Ashe, 2022-09-17, Two males seen, one netted, photographed and released - Pond Mountain Game Lands		Photo 4 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Ashe, 2022-09-17, Two males seen, one netted, photographed and released - Pond Mountain Game Lands
	Photo 5 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Ashe, 2022-09-17, Two males seen, one netted, photographed and released - Pond Mountain Game Lands		Photo 6 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Watauga, 2022-09-11, - 1 female, Elk Knob State Park
	Photo 7 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Watauga, 2022-09-11, - 1 female, Elk Knob State Park		Photo 8 by: John Petranka and party Comment: Ashe, 2022-09-07, Pond Mountain Game Land. At a small pond with sparse emergent vegetation at its edges. Elevation 4,680 feet.
	Photo 9 by: Mark Shields Comment: Ashe, 2021-08-08, Pond Mountain Game Land - male at small, cattail-fringed pond; 4,550 feet elevation		Photo 10 by: Mark Shields Comment: Ashe, 2021-08-08, Pond Mountain Game Land - male at small, cattail-fringed pond; 4,550 feet elevation
	Photo 11 by: Mark Shields Comment: Ashe, 2021-08-08, Pond Mountain Game Land - Female seen along trail near a pond at 4,450 feet elevation, about 0.5 miles from pond where male observed.		Photo 12 by: Mark Shields Comment: Ashe, 2021-08-08, Pond Mountain Game Land - Female seen along trail near a pond at 4,450 feet elevation, about 0.5 miles from pond where male observed.
	Photo 13 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Watauga, 2017-09-22, Elk Knob State Park, small marshy pond. Elevation ca. 4,400ft. - Males; one photographed.		Photo 14 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Watauga, 2017-09-22, Elk Knob State Park, small marshy pond. Elevation ca. 4,400ft. - Males; one photographed.
	Photo 15 by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, and Bill Booth Comment: Burke; M, 2017-09-19, In a small partially shaded pond that was lined with American Bur-reed and other emergent vegetation; just south of Jonas Ridge. - Record is based on an abdomen (still moving) that was found in a net after capturing a Shadow Darner. The Shadow Darner presumably had just captured and partially consumed the Black-tipped Darner.		Photo 16 by: Jim Petranka Comment: Avery, 2016-09-27, An adult female photographed on 27 September, 2016 at a permanent pond with emergent vegetation and shrubs along the edges. The site is located on private property that adjoins the Blue Ridge Parkway in southern Avery County.
	Photo 17 by: Jim Petranka Comment: Avery, 2016-09-27, photo at pond near Blue Ridge Parkway