Four-tipped darter
Both sexes carry two small black eyebrow-shaped marks on the face, the feature that gives this dragonfly its Japanese and English names.
| Where | Rice paddies, marshes and grassy wetlands |
|---|---|
| Size | 30 to 43 mm body length |
| When | July to November |
Males redden across the abdomen and wing bases as they mature, while females usually stay yellowish brown, though some also turn red. A pair of small black eyebrow-like spots above the face separates this species from other red dragonflies found nearby.
This species breeds in the shallow, often temporary water of rice paddies, ditches and marshes, where the nymphs develop before the adults disperse to grassy ground nearby. It is also less wary than many dragonflies, often letting a person approach closely enough to see the facial marks clearly.
Traits
Habitat
Wetland
Colour
Red, Brown
Active
Day
To people
Cannot sting or bite; completely harmless to observe or photograph up close.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Has bold black diagonal stripes on the sides of the thorax and lacks the paired black eyebrow-shaped facial marks of the Four-tipped darter.
Similar reddish-brown body, but the face is plain and unmarked, without the paired black eyebrow spots found on the Four-tipped darter.
Questions
Is the Four-tipped darter dangerous to people?
Cannot sting or bite; completely harmless to observe or photograph up close.
When can you see the Four-tipped darter?
The Four-tipped darter can be seen from July to November, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by mami_t_t, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Skimmers›Sympetrum
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.