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Green darner dragonfly migration through the Northeast
When: August to October
From late August into fall, common green darners stream south through the Northeast, a dragonfly migration flown by the offspring of the spring arrivals.
Why this time of year
Southbound darner flights in the East begin around the end of August and usually peak in September, so from late August through early fall any warm day here can carry migrants.
How to notice it
- Look for a large dragonfly with a bright green front half cruising a pond edge, meadow, or river corridor.
- Watch its path: a local loops and comes back, while a migrant tends to hold one direction and keep going.
- Try again on warm days from late August through October; flights come in pulses with quiet days between, and September is usually the busiest month.
Try this with kids: Can you tell if a big dragonfly is circling its pond or heading steadily one way?
Darners are the family of large dragonflies that includes the common green darner.
Sources
- xerces.orgCommon Green Darner is the best known and most regular dragonfly migrant in North America; fall migration at eastern monitoring sites begins around the end of August and can continue into early November, with numbers usually highest in September; flights are sporadic, with big pulse days and empty days.
- xerces.orgMulti-generational annual cycle: the spring generation migrates north, breeds, and dies, and its offspring make the return trip south.
In the guide for August, September, October