Chalk-fronted corporal
Young males start out reddish-brown like females, then turn black and grow a chalky white coating as they mature.
| Where | Ponds, bogs and slow streams |
|---|---|
| Size | 41 to 46 mm body length |
| When | May to July |
The chalk-fronted corporal is a dragonfly with a body length of about 41 to 46 mm. Young males start out reddish-brown like females, then turn black and develop a chalky white coating across the front of the thorax and base of the abdomen as they mature.
Adults perch flat on bare ground, logs or floating debris rather than upright on stems, darting up to snatch flying insects. It favors ponds, bogs, marshes and slow streams across the northern United States and southern Canada, flying from May into early August.
Traits
Habitat
Wetland
Colour
Brown, White, Black
Active
Day
To people
Harmless to people; adults perch flat on the ground rather than upright on stems.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Males have a black face and short black wing-base streaks, instead of the Chalk-fronted corporal male's white face and solid basal wing spot.
Questions
Is the Chalk-fronted corporal dangerous to people?
Harmless to people; adults perch flat on the ground rather than upright on stems.
When can you see the Chalk-fronted corporal?
The Chalk-fronted corporal can be seen from May to July, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Louis Imbeau, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Skimmers›Ladona
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.