THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION

Aquatic Invertebrates in Pacific Northwest Freshwater Wetlands
An Identification Guide and Educational Resource

Coenagrionidae is the largest family of damselflies in North America. This diverse family is commonly encountered, and most genera are adapted to living in still water habitats like wetlands and the edges of lakes.

Coenagrionidae can be identified by ruling out the distinguishing characteristics of other families. All the segments of their antennae are about the same length (in contrast to the Calopterygidae, which have basal antennal segments longer than all the others combined), and they don't have the extremely long, narrow labium characteristic of Lestidae. The plates at the tip of the abdomen of Coenagrionidae are relatively broad and leaf-like.

Size: large
Habitat: nearly all types of aquatic habitats, often in still waters; wetlands
Identifying feature(s): antennal segments all the same length; traingular labium without long stalked base
Tolerance to pollutants: tolerant