Every dragonfly and damselfly counts — from the common to the rare. Even if you lack experience with these insects, you can contribute to the Vermont Damselfly and Dragonfly Atlas. Report your sightings to either iNaturalist Vermont or Odonata Central.
Odonata Central
Odonata Central is our atlas data repository. Many dedicated ode watchers enter their data directly on Odonata Central. But please enter your Vermont data in either iNaturalist or Odonata Central — and not both. Thanks! Go to Odonata Central »
Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist
iNaturalist Vermont is a powerful resources for reporting and tracking plants and animals, including Vermont dragonflies and damselflies. Once you register, you'll join a community of professional scientists and citizen naturalist sharing vital data on biodiversity across the planet. Go to iNaturalist Vermont » »
Photography
Often a photograph is all you need to submit a valuable dragonfly record. Here are some tips on how to provide us with the best evidence.
Lake Darner / © K.P. McFarland
- Close-ups are the best, but sometimes even a distant image will do.
- Photograph them from a few different angles: top, side, front. If your camera has a macro setting (often indicated by a tulip symbol) be sure to use it so you can focus on it closely for the most detail on dragonflies in close.
- Even a poor photo may be good enough for identification, so don’t worry if you don’t have the perfect image; you can still share it with us.
Identifying the Odonates
Some species can be tricky and require magnification. But with a bit of practice and patience, you can learn to identify many of Vermont’s species. Here are a few great field guides to help you:
