This page covers the 68 species of Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) of Beijing. 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 Huairou, Mentougou, Miyun and Yanqing Districts 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.
There is an excellent Chinese language webpage (with scientific names) for Odonata in Beijing here, run by the Beijing Dragonfly Network and led by Liu Yiliang. The information here will be the most up to date available.
For those who are interested in the Odonata of wider China, there is an excellent 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 Dà tíng kē Spiketails
1. Anotogaster kuchenbeiseri 双斑圆臀大蜓 Shuāng bān yuán tún dà tíng
Anotogaster kuchenbeiseri 双斑圆臀大蜓 Shuāng bān yuán tún dà tíng. Photo by 混沌牛.
2. Neallogaster pekinensis 北京角臀蜓 Běijīng jiǎo tún tíng
Neallogaster pekinensis 北京角臀蜓 Běijīng jiǎo tún tíng. Photo by 混沌牛.
Aeshnidae 蜓科 Tíng kē Hawkers
3. Aeshna soneharai 混合蜓 Hùnhé tíng
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 Hùnhé tíng, ID City, Shunyi District, 3 September 2020 (Terry Townshend)Aeshna soneharai, 混合蜓 Hùnhé tíng, ID City, Shunyi District, 3 September 2020 (Terry Townshend)
19. Ophiogomphus spinicornis 棘角蛇纹春蜓 Jí jiǎo shé wén chūn tíng
Ophiogomphus spinicornis 棘角蛇纹春蜓 Jí jiǎo shé wén chūn tíng. Photo by 混沌牛.
20. Sieboldius albardae 艾氏施春蜓 Ài shì shīchūntíng Great Clubtail
Sieboldius albardae, 艾氏施春蜓 Ài shì shīchūntíng, Great Clubtail, male, BaiHe, 1 August 2020 (Terry Townshend)
21. Sinictinogomphus clavatus 大团扇春蜓 Dà tuánshàn chūn tíng Golden Flangetail
Sinictinogomphus clavatus 大团扇春蜓 Dà tuánshàn chūn tíng Golden Flangetail. Photo by 混沌牛.Sinictinogomphus clavatus 大团扇春蜓 Dà tuánshàn chūn tíng, Golden Flangetail. Photo by Philip Gould.
Epitheca marginata 缘斑毛伪蜻 Yuán bān máo wěi qīng. Photo by 混沌牛Epitheca marginata 缘斑毛伪蜻 Yuán bān máo wěi qīng. Female with eggs at tip of abdomen. Photo by 混沌牛
24. Epophthalmia elegans 闪蓝丽大蜻 Regal Pond Cruiser
Epophthalmia elegans 闪蓝丽大蜻 Regal Pond Cruiser. Photo by 混沌牛.
25. Macromia beijingensis 北京弓蜻 Běijīng gōng qīng
Macromia beijingensis 北京弓蜻 Běijīng gōng qīng. Photo by 混沌牛
29. Brachydiplax chalybea 蓝额疏脉蜻 Lán é shū mài qīng Oriental Blue Dasher
Brachydiplax chalybea, 蓝额疏脉蜻 Lán é shū mài qīng, Oriental Blue Dasher, Olympic Forest Park, Beijing, 17 August 2021 (Photo by 混沌牛). Formerly rare in Beijing, but more records in early 2020s, possibly indicating a northward expansion of its range from southern China, where it is common.
Brachydiplax chalybea, 蓝额疏脉蜻 Lán é shū mài qīng, Oriental Blue Dasher (male), Shunyi District, 22 July 2023 (Terry Townshend)
Brachydiplax chalybea, 蓝额疏脉蜻 Lán é shū mài qīng, Oriental Blue Dasher (female), Shunyi District, 22 July 2023 (Terry Townshend)
A male Spotted Darter Sympetrum depressiusculum 扁腹赤蜻 Biǎn fùchì qīng at the Wenyu River, 25 September 2022 (Terry Townshend). Note the legs of Sympetrum depressiusculum have a small section of yellow closest to the base, with the rest of the leg being black.
Female Spotted Darter Sympetrum depressiusculum 扁腹赤蜻 Biǎn fùchì qīng, ID City, Shunyi District, 14 September 2023 (Terry Townshend)
Sympetrum flaveolum 黄斑赤蜻 Huángbān chì qīng Yellow-winged Darter. Note: this image was taken in northern Hebei Province. It is rare in Beijing. Photo by 混沌牛
Sympetrum striolatum 条斑黄赤蜻 Tiáo bān huáng chì qīng Common Darter, male. Photo by Philip Gould. Note the legs of Sympetrum striolatum are black on the inside and yellow on the outside (or red on older mature individuals).Sympetrum striolatum 条斑黄赤蜻 Tiáo bān huáng chì qīng Common Darter, female. Photo by Philip Gould.
Matrona basilaris, 透顶单脉色蟌 Tòudǐng dān mài sè cōng, male, Yanqing County, 1 August 2020 (Terry Townshend)
56. 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)
Lestes sponsa 桨尾丝蟌 Jiǎng wěi sī cōng, Emerald Damselfly, male. Photo by Philip Gould.Lestes sponsa 桨尾丝蟌 Jiǎng wěi sī cōng, Emerald Damselfly, male and female. Photo by Philip Gould.
*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 Huá xié zhì qīng Saddlebag Glider, Yongdinghe. Photo by 混沌牛.
Tramea virginia 华斜痣蜻 Huá xié zhì qīng Saddlebag Glider, Yongdinghe. Photo by 混沌牛.
