The Biodiversity of Richmond, British Columbia

Invertebrates:  Dragonflies

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To date, 88 species of dragonflies have been found in British Columbia, and of these, 55 have been found in the Lower Mainland (Kenner, 2000).  The following records for Richmond are extracted from Kenner (2000), and from the UBC Invertebrate Museum database (Kenner, 2001). Three records are by Brian Klinkenberg (photos, 2001, identification by Rex Kenner).  A total of 21 species have been reported for Richmond.  Click on the links below to visit the E-Fauna BC atlas page for each dragonfly species.

Common Name Scientific Name Location
     
Spreadwings Lestidae  
Pacific Forktail Ischnura cervula Selys Richmond Nature Park, Iona Island 
Swift Forktail Ischnura erratica Calvert Richmond Nature Park
Spotted Spreadwing Lestes congener (Hagen) Iona Island, Richmond Nature Park
Common Spreadwing Lestes disjunctus (Selys) Iona Island
Petaltails  Petaluridae  
California Darner Rhionaeschna californica (Aeshna californica Calvert) Richmond Nature Park
Variable Darner Aeshna interrupta Walker Sea Island
Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor (Aeshna multicolor Hagen) Iona Island, Richmond Nature Park,
Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna palmata Hagen Richmond Nature Park, Sea Island
Shadow Darner Aeshna umbrosa Walker Iona Island
Skimmers Libellulidae  
Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum (Hagen) Iona Beach
Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum (Hagen) Iona Island, Richmond Nature Park
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk Sympetrum internum (Hagen) Iona Island
Saffron-winged Meadowhawk Sympetrum costiferum (Hagen) Iona Beach

Sources:

Cannings, Robert A. 2002.  Introducing the Dragonflies of British Columbia and the Yukon.  Royal BC Museum, Victoria.


Kenner, Rex.  2000.  Annotated Checklist of Dragonflies (Odonata) of the Lower Mainland.  Discovery 29 (2): 53 - 59.


Kenner, Rex. 2001.  UBC Invertebrate Museum database records for Richmond, BC.

Useful Links:


Odonata Information Network 

Page updated January 2009. Contact us.