Blue-eyed Darner

The blue-eyed darner is a large dragonfly that is typically found in the western US down into Central America. Until the past few years there were very few records of this species in Minnesota and those were all in the southeast corner of the state. It is possible that this was because the state was very poorly surveyed until the Minnesota Odonata Survey began several years ago. In the past few years sightings in Minnesota suggest that there range may be more extensive then first thought. It is also possible that there range has expanded or changed due to climate change. This theory is made more possible by the large number of sightings last year, when we had an unusually mild winter and early spring. This year has been quite the opposite, weather wise, and I have not heard of any sightings of this species in Minnesota so far this year. 

Blue-eyed darner

The blue-eyed darner is a large darner dragonfly that is typically found in western portions of North America,  Central America, and northern South America. In North America it ranges west from the Dakotas and north up in to central Canada. It appears as though this species may be extending its range east as we have found specimens of this species here in Minnesota over the past few years. It also may be the case that this species has been here in Minnesota for awhile but since the state has been so poorly surveyed until the past few years it may have been missed. It is easy to identify the species by its bright blue eyes. It also emerges much earlier then most darners. Here in Minnesota the only other darner species that we see as early in the year as the blue-eyed is the springtime darner. The springtime is much smaller so chances are if we see a big darner early in the year it is probably a blue-eyed darner.