Bug FAQShadow Darner
Aeshna umbrosa · Order: Odonata · Family: Aeshnidae
The shadow darner is a large dragonfly, 68 to 78 mm long, that lives near small marshy streams across most of Canada and the United States. Adults hunt flying insects on the wing from late April through November, while the aquatic nymphs eat mosquito larvae, other insects, shrimp, small fish and tadpoles.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Its base color is brownish-black with greenish crescent-shaped spots on the top of the thorax.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure 68 to 78 mm (2.7 to 3.1 in) in length. Nymphs are 38 to 43 mm (1.5 to 1.7 in) long.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They patrol along small, marshy streams.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Nymphs eat a variety of aquatic insects, mosquito larvae, mayfly larvae, shrimp, small fish and tadpoles. Adults catch and eat soft-bodied flying insects such as mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, moths, mayflies and stoneflies.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The immature stage can take several years, and the final molt to adult occurs at night. Adults are active from late April to November and hunt while flying.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Their flight season runs from late April through November.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 47 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Michigan, Oregon, Vermont, New York, Maine, Washington, Minnesota.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see shadow darners?
Adults are on the wing from late April until November.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Aeshnidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_darner
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.