Blue dasher vs Eastern pondhawk
These two are easy to mix up. Here's how to tell a blue dasher from an eastern pondhawk, and whether either one bites or stings.
Blue dasher
Pachydiplax longipennis
Eastern pondhawk
Erythemis simplicicollis
≠The key differences
Male eastern pondhawks are powder-blue on the thorax as well as the abdomen, have a green face and white appendages, and lack the black abdomen tip; female pondhawks are bright green with black bands on the abdomen.
Male blue dashers have a brown-and-yellow striped thorax, a white face, metallic green eyes and a black-tipped abdomen; male pondhawks are blue on the thorax too and have a green face.
⚖︎Side by side
| Blue dasher | Eastern pondhawk | |
|---|---|---|
| To humans | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| Size | Length about 28-45 mm; wingspan about 50-70 mm | 35-45 mm body length |
| Colours | Powder blue, Dark brown/black, Yellow-green, Clear wings | Powder blue, Leaf green, Dark greenish-black, Clear/transparent (wings) |
| Family | Libellulidae | Libellulidae |
| Habitat | Still or slow freshwater: ponds, marshes, ditches, lake margins and occasionally slow streams with emergent vegetation | Still or slow-moving fresh water: ponds, marshes, ditches, retention basins and slow streams with vegetation |
| Range | Widespread in the United States and southern Canada, common south into Mexico and parts of Central America; most abundant in lowland and disturbed wetlands | Eastern and central North America, from southern Canada through much of the United States and into parts of Mexico |
| Active | Active from late spring through early autumn (peak in summer); diurnal, most active in warm, sunny weather | Warm months (spring to autumn); most active daytime, especially sunny hours |
| Pest? | No | No |
🔍How to spot a blue dasher
- Males: powder-blue abdomen with a black tip, striped dark thorax, white face and metallic green eyes
- Females and young males: brown-and-yellow striped thorax and dark abdomen with yellow dashes
- Perches on plant stems or bare ground with abdomen slightly raised; wings clear with small dark pterostigma
🔍How to spot an eastern pondhawk
- Male adults: powder-blue body (pruinose), including the thorax, with a green face and clear wings.
- Females and immature males: bright leaf-green body with black bands on the abdomen.
- Perches low near the water on emergent vegetation and makes short, agile flights while hunting.
?Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a blue dasher and an eastern pondhawk?
Male eastern pondhawks are powder-blue on the thorax as well as the abdomen, have a green face and white appendages, and lack the black abdomen tip; female pondhawks are bright green with black bands on the abdomen. Male blue dashers have a brown-and-yellow striped thorax, a white face, metallic green eyes and a black-tipped abdomen; male pondhawks are blue on the thorax too and have a green face.
Is a blue dasher or an eastern pondhawk more dangerous?
Blue dasher: Non-toxic. Eastern pondhawk: Non-toxic. Blue dashers do not bite people except in extreme, rare handling situations; any bite would be a mild pinch only. Not dangerous to people.
Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.