''Aeshna canadensis'', the Canada darner, is a species of

dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threat ...

in the family

Aeshnidae Aeshnidae, also called aeshnids, hawkers, or darners, is a family of dragonflies, found nearly worldwide, with more than 50 genera and over 450 species. The family includes some of the largest dragonflies. Description Common worldwide or nearl ...

. It is common throughout southern Canada and the northern United States.Mead, Kurt. (2017). ''Dragonflies of the North Woods.'' 3rd edition. Duluth, MN: Kollath+Stensaas, p.34-35.

Description

Adult Canada darners, similar to other members of the genus ''

Aeshna ''Aeshna'', or the mosaic darners, is a genus of dragonfly, dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. Species within this genus are generally known as "hawkers" (Old World) or "darners" (New World). Description These are relatively large drag ...

'', are relatively large, slender dragonflies, and are predominantly dark brown with paler blue or green markings. Adults are 64 to 73 mm in total length. The

thorax The thorax (: thoraces or thoraxes) or chest is a part of the anatomy of mammals and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main di ...

has two vertical stripes on each side, the front with a prominent notch and an extension at the top. The abdomen has spots on most segments. The pale markings are usually blue in males and range from yellow-green to blue in females. The eyes are bluish in males and yellowish or bluish in females. The pale markings may turn gray at colder temperatures. The green-striped darner is very similar, but is distinguished by minor differences in the shape of the markings and in typically having green thorax stripes. The lake darner is also similar but is larger and has a distinct dark stripe across the face.

Taxonomy

The ''Canada darner'' was first

scientifically described A species description is a formal scientific description of a newly encountered species, typically articulated through a scientific publication. Its purpose is to provide a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it diffe ...

in 1908 by Canadian

entomologist Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...

Edmund Murton Walker Edmund Murton Walker (October 5, 1877 – February 14, 1969) was a Canadian entomologist. He described the genus ''Grylloblatta'' in 1914 which he then considered as a member of the Orthoptera and later placed it in a separate order Grylloblattode ...

, in the same publication as the first descriptions of black-tipped darner, shadow darner, subarctic darner, and variable darner, .

Distribution

Canada darners are found from

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

and

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

in the east to

Yukon Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...

in the west. Populations extend further south down the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

to West Virginia and south in mountain ranges to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

and

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

. There is an isolated population in

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

Life history

The North American Dragonflies of the Genus Aeshna E M Walker - Plate 6 - Aeshna canadensis

The North American Dragonflies of the Genus Aeshna E M Walker - Plate 5

Canada darners spend most of their lives as an aquatic nymph. Larvae are typically found in lakes and ponds, especially

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and musk ...

ponds and

beaver pond A beaver dam or beaver impoundment is a dam built by beavers; it creates a pond which protects against predators such as coyotes, alligators, cougars, foxes, eagles, wolves and bears, and holds their food during winter. These structures modify th ...

s. Breeding ponds typically have abundant emergent vegetation. An

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

study found that the species was restricted to ponds with a pH of no more than 6.2. One study found that larvae may spend either one or two winters underwater before emerging. Adult males fly slowly along the shores of breeding ponds, sometimes dropping to the surface to search for females. Mating occurs in shrubs nearby. Females lay eggs at water level, usually in marshy vegetation away from shore. Breeding adults are most active in sunny weather. Aeshnid-ovipositing-800x600

Away from breeding sites, adult Canada darners are often found with other

darner Aeshnidae, also called aeshnids, hawkers, or darners, is a family of dragonflies, found nearly worldwide, with more than 50 genera and over 450 species. The family includes some of the largest dragonflies. Description Common worldwide or nearly ...

species in feeding swarms in clearings and along roadways in early evening. Adult Canada darners may be seen from June to October. Canada darners are often considered to be a common to abundant species where they are found. Although the species has not generally been recognised as migratory, a study in

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

and

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

found that at least some populations of Canada darners undertake north-south migratory movements within their range.

References

External links

Canada darner
NJOdes
Canada darner
eNature.com
Canada darner
Talk about Wildlife {{Taxonbar, from=Q1375692 Aeshnidae Insects described in 1908