Skip Navigation LinksOdes For Beginners : How to Watch Odonates : When to Look

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When To Look

The best time to watch dragonflies and damselflies in flight is during their breeding season.  During the spring and summer months these amazing creatures can be found in large numbers concentrated around almost any body of water.  During this period, males can be seen racing back and forth over ponds and streams  establishing and protecting territories from rivals.

When birds and other creatures are laying low, the dragonfly will be active as ever.  Dragonflies are sun-worshippers; on sunny days between mid-morning till mid-afternoon you can see them since they are more active then.  On cloudy, cold or rainy days they generally lay low and are inactive.  There are a few species within the Darner (Aeshna) and Emerald (Corduliidae) family that prefer low light near dusk; this can be a bit challenging to the watcher, but not impossible.

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