Blue Dasher

Male blue dasher dragonfly perched on the tip of a twig, with dew on its wings
Scientific Name
Pachydiplax longipennis
Family
Libellulidae (skimmers) in the order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)
Description

Blue dasher males and females look quite different. Both have a white face, a black abdomen tip, and slanted black and yellow stripes on the thorax. There is an amber cast on the hindwing bases. But males are blue and females are striped black and yellow.

  • Mature blue dasher males are chalky blue with a dark abdomen tip, white face, and turquoise eyes. There's a wedge of rust or yellowish color on each side of the front part of the abdomen, behind the wings.
  • Female blue dashers have a pair of yellow stripes on each side of the top of the abdomen; a white face; and (usually) eyes that are divided into two sections: rusty brown above and sky blue or gray below. There is a small tuft of white or pale yellow at the tip of the abdomen.
  • Younger males look like females. Males intermediate in age display a mix of mature male and female characteristics.

Learn more about this and other dragonflies on their group page.

Other Common Names
Swift Long-Winged Skimmer
Blue Pirate
Media Gallery
Male blue dasher dragonfly perched on the tip of a twig, with dew on its wings
A mature blue dasher male (Pachydiplax longipennis) has a blue body with a dark abdomen tip, white face, turquoise eyes. The thorax has slanted black and yellow stripes. The wings have an amber cast on the hindwing bases.
Nappadol Paothong
Photo by Nappadol Paothong, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
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Closeup of a male blue dasher's face
Male blue dashers have beautiful turquoise eyes that are accentuated by the species' characteristic pure white face.
Noppadol Paothong
Photo by Noppadol Paothong, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
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Male blue dasher dragonfly perched on a twig
Blue dashers are one of many dragonfly species that hunt mosquitoes, midges, gnats, and other tiny flying insects.
Noppadol Paothong
Photo by Noppadol Paothong, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
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Dragonfly
MDC
Photo by MDC, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
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Blue Dasher
Noppadol Paothong
Photo by Noppadol Paothong, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
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Blue Dasher
MDC
Photo by MDC, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
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Male blue dasher dragonfly perched on the tip of a twig, with dew on its wings
Closeup of a male blue dasher's face
Male blue dasher dragonfly perched on a twig
Dragonfly
Blue Dasher
Blue Dasher
Similar Species
About Land Invertebrates in Missouri
Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods. Arthropods—invertebrates with “jointed legs” — are a group of invertebrates that includes crayfish, shrimp, millipedes, centipedes, mites, spiders, and insects. There may be as many as 10 million species of insects alive on earth today, and they probably constitute more than 90 percent all animal species.
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