Species › Insects & Arthropods › Canada Darner

Canada Darner

Aeshna canadensis

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Canada Darner (Aeshna canadensis)

The Canada Darner is a large blue-and-green darner with distinctive paired blue spots on each abdominal segment and a characteristic lateral thorax stripe pattern used in identification. It is one of the most abundant darners in eastern Canada and the northeastern US. Adults migrate southward in fall, sometimes in spectacular flights along ridges and coastlines.

Habitat
Boreal ponds, bogs, and slow streams
Diet
Adults: large flying insects. Nymphs: aquatic invertebrates
How common
Common

Best time to see a Canada Darner

The best time to see a Canada Darner is July–August, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 1,734 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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