Eastern pondhawk
Mature male Eastern Pondhawks turn powder blue with age, while juveniles and females stay bright green, so the same pond can hold both colors at once.
| Where | Ponds, lakes and slow-moving water |
|---|---|
| Size | 60 to 80 mm wingspan |
| When | April to October |
Adult males have a powder-blue abdomen with a green face and thorax, while females and young males are bright green with a black-banded abdomen. Body length runs from about 36 to 48 millimeters, with a wingspan of roughly 60 to 80 millimeters.
This dragonfly is an aggressive hunter that will take other dragonflies close to its own size, including smaller members of its own species, while perched at the edges of ponds and marshes.
Traits
Habitat
Wetland
Colour
Green, Blue, Black
Active
Day
To people
Common and easy to watch at garden ponds; does not sting or bite people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Shows a plain white face and green-striped thorax that the Eastern Pondhawk lacks.
Questions
Is the Eastern pondhawk dangerous to people?
Common and easy to watch at garden ponds; does not sting or bite people.
When can you see the Eastern pondhawk?
The Eastern pondhawk can be seen from April to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Davidson College, CC0, GBIF Licence
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Skimmers›Erythemis
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.