This page covers the 66 species of Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) of Beijing. It includes a downloadable PDF including scientific, Chinese (including pinyin) and, where available, English common names. Inside the 6th ring road, some of the best locations for seeing Odonata in Beijing include the Botanical Gardens and the Olympic Forest Park. The mountains and valleys of northern and western Beijing, for example Miyun County, Mentougou District and Yanqing District are also great places to explore.
The aim of this page is to build up a library of images from the capital. With that in mind, submissions of photographs are welcome, particularly of species not yet photographed or of sexes and ages not yet illustrated on this page. If you have images you are willing to share, please use the contact form at the end of this page, including details about your images (species, sex, location, date). All will be fully credited. Thank you. Special thanks to 混沌牛 for advice and for providing many images for this page.
For those who are interested in the Odonata of wider China, there is a great two-volume book of the “Dragonflies and Damselflies of China” (in Chinese with scientific and english names) by Zhang Haomiao of Chongqing University. It is available online at this link.
Header image: Mnais sp, Yanqing County, Beijing, 8 June 2020. This species is similar to Mnais tenuis from South China but orange-winged male with whole abdomen whitish pruinosed. Present in Beijing, Hubei and Anhui. Flight season April to July.
Cordulegasteridae 大蜓科 Spiketails
1. Anotogaster kuchenbeiseri 双斑圆臀大蜓
2. Neallogaster pekinensis 北京角臀蜓
Neallogaster pekinensis 北京角臀蜓. Photo by 混沌牛.
Aeshnidae 蜓科 Hawkers
3. Aeshna soneharai 混合蜓 (Note that Aeshna soneharai was split from Aeshna mixta in 2022 based on abdominal markings and DNA analysis – see paper here). In East Asia it should be only Aeshna soneharai that is present.
Aeshna soneharai , 混合蜓, ID City, Shunyi District, 3 September 2020 (Terry Townshend)Aeshna soneharai, 混合蜓, ID City, Shunyi District, 3 September 2020 (Terry Townshend)
4. Aeschnophlebia longistigma 长痣绿蜓
Aeschnophlebia longistigma 长痣绿蜓. Photo by 混沌牛.
5. Anax nigrofasciatus 黑纹伟蜓 Blue-spotted Emperor
6. Anax parthenope julis 碧伟蜓 Lesser Emperor
Anax parthenope julius, 碧伟蜓, Lesser Emperor, ID City, Shunyi District, 28 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)Anax parthenope julius, 碧伟蜓, Lesser Emperor, ID City, Shunyi District, 15 August 2020 (Terry Townshend)Anax parthenope julius 碧伟蜓 Lesser Emperor. Photo by Philip Gould.
7. Cephalaeschna patrorum 长者头蜓
8. Planaeschna shanxiensis 山西黑额蜓
9. Aeshna juncea 竣蜓 Common Hawker
Aeshna juncea 竣蜓 Common Hawker, Wulingshan. Photo by 混沌牛.混沌牛.Aeshna juncea 竣蜓 Common Hawker, Wulingshan. Photo by 混沌牛.
10. Aeshna lucia 梭蜓
11. Aeshna subarctica 极北蜓 Subarctic Darner*
Aeshna subarctica 极北蜓 Subarctic Darner. Photo by 混沌牛.
Gomphidae 春蜓科 Clubtails
12. Anisogomphus maacki 马奇异春蜓
Anisogomphus maacki 马奇异春蜓, male, BaiHe, 13 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)
Crocothemis servilia, 红蜻, Scarlet Darter, male, ID City, Shunyi District, 3 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)Crocothemis servilia 红蜻 Scarlet Darter/Crimson Darter, male. Photo by Philip Gould.Crocothemis servilia, 红蜻, Scarlet Darter, female, ID City, Shunyi District, 3 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)
30. Deielia phaon 异色多纹蜻 Frosted Skimmer
Deielia phaon 异色多纹蜻 Frosted Skimmer, male. Photo by Philip Gould.Deielia phaon 异色多纹蜻 Frosted Skimmer. Female. Photo by 混沌牛.Deielia phaon 异色多纹蜻 Frosted Skimmer, female. Photo by Philip Gould.
31. Libellula angelina 低斑蜻 Bekko Tombo
Libellula angelina 低斑蜻 Bekko Tombo. Photo by 混沌牛.Libellula angelina 低斑蜻 Bekko Tombo. Photo by Terry Townshend.
Orthetrum albistylum 白尾灰蜻 White-tailed Skimmer/White-tipped Skimmer, male. Photo by Philip Gould.Orthetrum albistylum, 白尾灰蜻, White-tailed Skimmer, immature male, 26 June 2020, ID City, Shunyi District (Terry Townshend)Orthetrum albistylum 白尾灰蜻 White-tailed Skimmer/White-tipped Skimmer, female. Photo by Philip Gould.
34. Orthetrum lineostigma 线痣灰蜻
Orthetrum lineostigma 线痣灰蜻, male. Photo by 混沌牛.Orthetrum lineostigma 线痣灰蜻, male, Shunyi District, 23 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)
35. Orthetrum melania 异色灰蜻 Great Blue Skimmer
Orthetrum melania 异色灰蜻 Great Blue Skimmer. Photo by 混沌牛
Pantala flavescens 黄蜻 Wandering Glider/Globe Skimmer, ID City, Shunyi District, 3 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)Pantala flavescens 黄蜻 Wandering Glider/Globe Skimmer. Photo by Philip Gould.
37. Pseudothemis zonata 玉带蜻 Pied Skimmer
Pseudothemis zonata 玉带蜻 Pied Skimmer, female. Photo by 混沌牛.Pseudothemis zonata 玉带蜻 Pied Skimmer, male. Photo by Philip Gould.
38. Rhyothemis fuliginosa 黑丽翅蜻 Butterfly Skimmer
Rhyothemis fuliginosa 黑丽翅蜻 Butterfly Skimmer. Photo by Philip Gould.
Matrona basilaris, 透顶单脉色蟌, male, Yanqing County, 1 August 2020 (Terry Townshend)
53. Mnais sp This species is similar to Mnais tenuis from South China but orange-winged male with whole abdomen whitish pruinosed. Present in Beijing, Hubei and Anhui. Flight season April to July.
Mnais sp., male, Yanqing County, 8 June 2020 (Terry Townshend)Mnais sp., female, Yanqing County, 8 June 2020 (Terry Townshend)Mnais sp, copula, Yanqing County, 8 June 2020 (Terry Townshend)
Coenagrionidae 蟌科 Narrow-winged Damselflies
54. Ceriagrion nipponicum 日本黄蟌
Ceriagrion nipponicum 日本黄蟌. Photo by 混沌牛.Ceriagrion nipponicum 日本黄蟌, Olympic Forest Park, 26 June 2020 (Terry Townshend)
55. Ischnura asiatica 东亚异痣蟌 Asiatic Bluetail
Ischnura asiatica 东亚异痣蟌 Asiatic Bluetail, male, 5 August 2021, ChaoBaiHe. Note 9th abdominal segment all blue.Ischnura asiatica, 东亚异痣蟌, Asiatic Bluetail, mating pair, Shunyi District, 16 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)Ischnura asiatica 东亚异痣蟌 Asiatic Bluetail, female, Shunyi District, 5 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)Ischnura asiatica 东亚异痣蟌 Asiatic Bluetail, immature female, Olympic Forest Park, 26 June 2020 (Terry Townshend)
56. Ischnura elegans 长叶异痣蟌 Blue-tailed Damselfly
Ischnura elegans, 长叶异痣蟌, Blue-tailed Damselfly, adult male, 4 July 2021, Wenyu River (Terry Townshend)Ischnura elegans, 长叶异痣蟌, Blue-tailed Damselfly, female, 7 August 2021, Wenyu River (Terry Townshend)
Paracercion melanotum 黑背尾蟌 Hēi bèi wěi cōng, male, ChaoBai River, 28 July 2021 (Terry Townshend)
60. Paracercion plagiosum 七条尾蟌
Paracercion plagiosum 七条尾蟌, male. Photo by 混沌牛.Paracercion plagiosum 七条尾蟌, female, Ma Chang, 15 July 2020 (Terry Townshend)
61. Paracercion v-nigrum 捷尾蟌
Paracercion v-nigrum 捷尾蟌. Male (right) and female. Photo by 混沌牛.
62. Copera tokyoensis 黑狭扇蟌
63. Platycnemis foliacea 白扇蟌 Warfan Damselfly
Platycnemis foliacea 白扇蟌 Warfan Damselfly, male. Photo by 混沌牛.Platycnemis foliacea, 白扇蟌, Warfan Damselfly, male and female mating, Yanqing County, 1 August 2020 (Terry Townshend)
64. Platycnemis phyllopoda 叶足扇蟌
Platycnemis phyllopoda, 叶足扇蟌, Yanqing County, 8 June 2020 (Terry Townshend)Platycnemis phyllopoda, 叶足扇蟌. Photo by 混沌牛.
Lestidae 丝蟌科 Spread-winged Damselflies
65. Lestes sponsa 桨尾丝蟌 Emerald Damselfly
Lestes sponsa 桨尾丝蟌 Emerald Damselfly, male. Photo by Philip Gould.Lestes sponsa 桨尾丝蟌 Emerald Damselfly, male and female. Photo by Philip Gould.
66. Sympecma paedisca 三叶黄丝蟌 Siberian Winterdamsel
Sympecma paedisca 三叶黄丝蟌 Siberian Winterdamsel, Ma Chang, 2 April 2021 (Terry Townshend).
*Aeschna subarctica was photographed near Chengde in Hebei Province and may occur in Beijing.
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If you have images you are willing to share, please use the contact form below, including details about your images (species, sex, location, date). You will then be contacted to arrange for submission. All images will be fully credited. Thank you.
Tramea virginia 华斜痣蜻 Saddlebag Glider, Yongdinghe. Photo by 混沌牛.
Tramea virginia 华斜痣蜻 Saddlebag Glider, Yongdinghe. Photo by 混沌牛.
