Eight dragonfly species in two days at Corolla freshwater ponds

July 28, 2026Virginian Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes

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Eight dragonfly and damselfly species turned up in two days this week around the freshwater ponds behind the Corolla dunes—a compressed burst of odonate diversity that marks the midsummer peak when shallow barrier island wetlands run most productive. The run included (Libellula axilena), a threatened species found at Lost Lake Lane on July 23rd, alongside , , , , , , and .

Bar-winged Skimmers are coastal plain specialists that breed in still, well-vegetated ponds and are among the first odonates to vanish when those wetlands shrink or go brackish—their presence is a key indicator of adequate freshwater depth and stable vegetation cover. The Currituck Sound gauge at Corolla is reading 1.08 feet, well within the normal range, meaning the freshwater lens behind the dunes remains intact and hasn't been pushed back by high water on the sound side. That constellation of eight species, each with different microhabitat preferences, suggests the ponds are holding their productive character through the summer heat.

Data from USGS and iNaturalist

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