Nebraska Dragonflies and Damselflies

Common Sanddragon

Progomphus obscurus

Rambur, 1842

The Common Sanddragon is a brown and yellow dragonfly with a narrow club. The brown thorax has a yellow W on top and yellow side stripes. The wings have a small dark spot at the base and a yellow vein along the leading edge. The claspers are pale yellow and can be seen from some distance. The eyes are a dull olive color. The male perches on sunny sandy shores or sandbars, usually with his abdomen tilted upward 45-60 degrees, as shown in the photo to the right. The female resembles the male but with muted colors.

Common. This is an eastern species with western Nebraska at the northwestedge of range. All records except those in Cherry and Keya Paha Counties are in the southern third of the state. It is often common on sandbars inwide, shallow, slow-moving streams or rivers.

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