Dragonflies in Tennessee: Identification Guide and Best Places to Start

Your best odds are around still or slow water: farm ponds, marshy edges of lakes, and creeks with muddy banks. Popular spots include Radnor Lake State Park near Nashville, the Reelfoot Lake area, and the wetlands of the Cumberland Plateau. Even a small backyard water feature will attract them during summer.

Most Tennessee dragonfly species are active from late April through October. Peak variety and numbers happen from June to August. Warm, humid days after a rain often trigger feeding swarms. Early morning and late afternoon are prime for spotting perched individuals.

Start with size and wing pattern. The Common Green Darner (Anax junius) is large with a bright green thorax and a blue abdomen. The Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) is medium, with adult males being powdery blue and females green with dark spots. For more help, see our dragonfly identification section. Look for clear wings with colored pterostigma (the small patch near the wing tip) and eye contact: dragonflies have enormous compound eyes that touch in many species.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

Tennessee is home to well over a hundred dragonfly species, but a handful turn up again and again for beginning watchers. The Common Green Darner (Anax junius) is the big, fast flier you will see hawking over open water and fields. The Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) is a stocky pond dragonfly, and the mature male has a chalky white abdomen with a dark band on each wing. The Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) is a small blue dragonfly that perches with its abdomen tilted up. The Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) holds a perch on the ground or low plants and grabs passing insects. The Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) is easy to name in flight thanks to broad dark bands across the bases of all four wings. Learn these five first and most pond visits will start to make sense.

For close-up photos and a wider species list, see our dragonfly identification section.

The Warner Parks (Percy and Edwin) near Nashville have good pond margins. Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area offers streamside trails. Land Between The Lakes (KY border) has excellent wetland boardwalks. Local city parks with retention ponds can be surprisingly productive. For a statewide overview, browse the Tennessee wildlife page.