BOLLINGER COUNTY, Mo. – An extremely rare dragonfly, a federally endangered species known as a male Hine’s emerald dragonfly, was recently discovered in southern Missouri.
The Missouri Department of Conservation has confirmed the sighting of the dragonfly from late June on private land in Bollinger County.
MDC staff and partners spotted the emerald-green insect during routine biological monitoring near a spring-fed wetland known as a karst fen. It was the first such sighting in Bollinger County, raising hope the species could be making a comeback in southern Missouri.
“The Hine’s emerald dragonfly is one of the rarest dragonflies in North America,” said MDC Natural History Biologist Steve Schell via a news release. “It wasn’t known from Missouri until 1999, and since then has only been documented from a handful of eastern Ozark counties.”
Because of its distance from other known sites, Schell said this new sighting likely represents a new population for Missouri.
Known scientifically as Somatochlora hineana, the Hine’s emerald dragonfly is distinguished by its green body, bright green eyes and yellow-striped sides. In Missouri, adults can occassionally be spotted in June flying in karst fens, likely where reproduction occurs.
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According to MDC, “Hine’s emerald dragonflies rely on specific fen habitats linked to ground water saturating small areas creating shallow semi-permeate pools and rivulets, with plenty of crayfish burrows. These habitats are sensitive to disturbance and threatened by development, road construction, and other changes that might affect hydrology.”
MDC says the observation creates the opportunity to further exploration and conservation work in the region.
“The Bollinger County observation extends the known range of the species by over 30 miles to the east, suggesting more suitable habitat in southeast Missouri,” said Schell. “Finding a male is exciting, but we hope to find larvae or adults that indicate long-term breeding success,”
According to AnimalDiveristy.org, it’s estimated there are only around 30,000 Hine’s emerald dragonflies worldwide. In North America, the species can also be found near the Great Lakes, though conservations say Missouri’s population has higher genetic diversity.
The Hine’s emerald dragonfly is an endangered species under federal and state law, which makes it illegal to harm or collect without permits.
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