Bug FAQCarolina Saddlebags
Tramea carolina · Order: Odonata · Family: Libellulidae
Also called: Violet-masked Glider
The Carolina saddlebags dragonfly is 45 to 54 mm long and has brown on the thorax and the base of each wing, with the last two abdominal segments black. It lives near ponds, lakes, swamps and streams that have submerged vegetation, where its aquatic larvae develop. Adults feed in groups flying a few metres above the water from morning to evening, while larvae hunt underwater; they are found year-round in Florida and May-August in Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure 45 to 54 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are found near ponds, lakes, swamps and streams that have partially or fully submerged vegetation.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults feed in groups from morning until evening, flying a few metres above the ground. Larvae are fully aquatic and hunt and feed in the water.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The larval stage lives, hunts and feeds entirely in water.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Maryland.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see them?
In Florida they are present year-round; in Canada they appear from May through August.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Libellulidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramea_carolina
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.