Providing interpretive education on wetlands and wildlife, panoramic views, water quality, weather, natural resource management, trails, bird watching, recreation, exhibits, displays and an eagles nest, Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is a treasure of the Hillsboro community.
Below are a few common dragonflies and damselflies you are likely to see at the Jackson Bottom Wetlands and elsewhere in the Willamette Valley. Look for key characteristics that distinguish them.
For information about the life history of dragonflies click here.
Some dragonflies will position themselves at a prominent perch on vegatation until a prey species —or a potential mate—flies by. It will then fly up and catch the prey. After each chase they will often return to the same spot to wait for the next unsuspecting prey.
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collacata) male
These are medium sized and quite common.
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collacata) female
The female is very different from the male.
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) male
Superficially the Blue Dasher and Western Pondhawk males look very similar and can be found together.
Note the subtle differences in color and markings.
Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellual forensis) male
Compare the Eight-spotted and Twelve-spotted males.
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellual pulchella) male
Count the black wing spots to distinguish this from the similar male Eight-spotted.
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) male
Note the variegated pattern on the abdomen.
Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) male
The various red meadowhawks all look pretty similar, but note that the abdomen is all red
(no black) and the orange blush at the base of the wings.
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Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) male
The male has a very distinctive black patch across the wings. The female is very different.
Other dragonflies search out bugs while in flight. These species are only rarely seen at rest so they are a bit harder to view closely and to identify.
Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna palmata) in flight
This is one of several darners common in this area. They are hard to tell apart at first,
especially in flight. Initially just try to distinguish the darners from others.
Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna palmata)
When darners do come to rest they do so vertically; but they are very hard to approach.
Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
This is the largest dragonfly in our area. The contrast between the green head
and blue abdomen is easily seen, even in flight.
American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffi)
Although the body of an Emerald is typically all black and thus not very distinctive,
note the bright green eyes that give rise to its name.
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) male
The distinctive “saddlebag” pattern on the wings makes this species fairly easy to identify in flight.
Damselflies are typically smaller than dragonflies, but the important feature is that they hold their wings back when at rest while dragonflies keep their wings spead perpendicular to their body. They are very common but it is a bit harder to tell damselfly species apart.
Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
This bluet is eating a bug it caught. There are several different bluet species in Oregon
that are hard to distinguish but this is the most common species in the Willamette Valley.
Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas) male
There are several spreadwings in our area but the emerald color of this one is distinctive.
Credits: Photos were selected from the http:\\dirttime.ws website, copyright by Dennis Deck.