Common Whitetail

Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia

Like the name says, it is common in Southern Quebec, probably familiar in most gardens and found in the types of habitat associated with weedy ditches and well vegetated ponds.

They fly June to August and are so distinctive that even the inexperienced can ID them although you might confuse them with Twelve-spotted Skimmers after a few beers at a picnic.

The top one is a female, the bottom four are three adult males and one young male, sexed by the blue webbing on the hind wings (thanks again Chris).

Eastern Amberwing

Eastern Amberwing Perithemis tenera

Not photographed in Quebec but just down the road in Boston. There is probably no real reason why this smart little species should not occur in Quebec so something ot look out for. This is a female, the males have a beautiful amber suffusion to the wing, hence the name.

They fly, according one dragonfly book, in the summer, no really!

Four-spotted Skimmer

Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata

A pretty common species found in just about any vegetated water habitat. Very easy to identiify thanks to the four spots on the wings, two front, two back on each side which is what their Scientific name of quadri (four) maculata (spots) means. In Europe this species is known as Four-spotted Chaser with the same Scientific name.

I've never noticed the bright whtae face on mature insects in the European versions but presume I just overlooked it. This is a very territorial insect although they usually become more social later in the day.

Enjoy this insect from May to late August.

Green Darner

Green Darner Anax junius

A fairly common lump of a species around Southern Quebec in most habitats. Not a great one for landing and letting you take a picture although sometimes you get lucky. As a species to ID the great big dot between the eyes is a dead giveaway.

Green Darners fly May to September, swarming late in the season before undertaking a southerly migration. This happy lifestyle has seen odd ones cross the Atlantic to Europe where Odonuts (like me, sadly) travel to see them. Draglonfly enthusiasts probably need a term for those who seek out new species and will travel to see rare ones, answers on an email to...

The one here is a possibly a female although young males can look very similar. I'll post a nice adult male when I get the chance of one.

Calico Pennant

Calico Pennant Celithemis indienne

A pretty spectacular species that is not very widespread out west of Montreal but that seems to be common where it does occur. I find it to be pretty common at St-Lazare sand pits. To see it there go to the very end of the track to the Base de Plein Air (signposted), where you can pay to park, or you can park by the soccer pitches and walk down. Go through the big steel fence and search the ground to the right where there is a spring fed largish pool. Also they get about 200m further west where there is a seasonal pool (good for other species) and they are easy to find on vegetation.

Calico Pennants fly June through to August.

The first two images are of females, the last four males.

Racket-tailed Emerald

Racket-tailed Emerald Dorocordulia libera

A very similar species to American Emerald but in flight it shows a kinked tail and on the deck it has yellowy orange patches at the area just past the ends of the wings, of course getting one on the deck is not always easy.

Generally a more northern species than American Emerald, they fly late May into late July. Around Quebec I've seen them at Mt Tremblant and Tadoussac.

American Emerald

American Emerald Cordulia shurtlffi

This can be a tricky one to ID if you only see a blobby tailed small to medium dragonfly belt past, never to return. Given a decent view you can ID them by looking at the features on the sheet below. They really are fantastics insects, look at the Frank Sinatra eyes on it.

I've seen them at several places in Quebec including around St-Lazare. They fly from late May to early July.