Carolina Saddlebags Dragonfly Tramea carolina. Insect. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright © 2025 Now I Wonder. All rights reserved.

Complete Guide To The Carolina Saddlebags Dragonfly

ByChristine Species Guides

Carolina Saddlebags Dragonfly

Carolina Saddlebags Dragonfly Images

How To Identify Carolina Saddlebags Dragonflies

  • Carolina Saddlebags dragonflies are one of two species of bright red dragonflies found in North Carolina.
  • Grow to 2 inches (53 mm) in total body length.
    • Hind wing length reaches approximately 1.8 inches (45 mm).
  • The base of the hind wings in both sexes of Carolina Saddlebags dragonflies are deep red; the patches cover at least the basal one-quarter of each hind wing.
  • Male Carolina Saddlebags have:
    • Red faces with metallic purple frons.
    • Dark red-brown eyes.
    • Brown thoraxes.
    • Bright red abdomens with black abdominal segments S8 and S9.
  • Female Carolina Saddlebags look much like the males only they have:
    • Paler, less vibrant coloration overall.
    • Eyes that are brown over red in color.
    • Metallic purple on only a portion of their frons.
  • Carolina Saddlebags dragonflies (Tramea carolina) and Red Saddlebag dragonflies (Tramea onusta) look very similar.
    • The range of both species overlap and the species might even interbreed at times.
    • Both display red patches on the base of their hind wings and both are red dragonflies.
    • Compared to the Carolina Saddlebags dragonfly, Red Saddlebag dragonflies (T. onusta) have:
      • All red faces with no purple.
      • Pale red abdomens.

Carolina Saddlebags Dragonfly Notes

  • Carolina Saddlebags dragonflies live throughout North Carolina.
    • They fly from early April to late October.
    • Look for Carolina Saddlebags dragonflies near ponds, lakes, and slow streams with lots of vegetation.
  • These dragonflies fly long, looping circles over open water, then return to water-side vegetation.
    • They perch on the tips of twigs, reeds, and grasses, often quite high up so they have good views of their surroundings.
  • Carolina Saddlebags dragonflies hunt all day during their flight season and even into dusk (Paulson 2011).
  • Carolina Saddlebags oviposit in tandem with their male mates but sometimes go off by themselves to lay their eggs.
    • Females who oviposit alone lay their eggs at a rate ten times faster than accompanied females (Abbott 2015).

Carolina Saddlebags Dragonfly Classification

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Odonata

Family

Libellulidae (Skimmer Dragonflies)

Genus

Tramea

Species

T. carolina

Binomial Name

Tramea carolina

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Christine
Christine is the creator and author of NowIWonder.com, a website dedicated to the animals and plants that share our world, and the science that helps us understand them. Inspired by lifelong exploration and learning, Christine loves to share her knowledge with others who want to connect with wild faces and wild spaces.
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