Nebraska Dragonflies and Damselflies

Northern Bluet

Enallagma annexum

Hagen, 1861

The Northern Bluet (previously known as Enallagma cyathigerum) has a wide black stripe on the top of the thorax and thinner black shoulder stripes. The abdomen is mostly blue, with broad black rings on the middle segments. The eyespots are large, and there is a flattened black mark on the top of segment 2. The female is paler and may be blue or tan. Very similar to Boreal Bluet.

This is an uncommon species. In Nebraska, all but a few records are from the Panhandle or northern Sandhills, although the species is common in southeastern South Dakota and western Iowa. This is a typical Bluet species found along edges of ponds.

Green indicates accepted county record (specimen or photograph).
Yellow indicates sight record only.