Bug FAQHalloween Pennant
Celithemis eponina · Order: Odonata · Family: Libellulidae
Also called: Brown-spotted Yellow-wing
The Halloween pennant is a dragonfly about 38-42 mm long with orange-yellow wings marked by dark brown bands; adults may show pale red on the face and the young have a yellow back stripe. It lives around ponds, marshes and lakes in eastern North America and the West Indies, feeds on other insects, and lays eggs on open water in the morning while the male stays attached. In the south it can be seen year-round, while farther north it appears from mid-June to mid-August.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Wings are completely orange-yellow with dark brown bands, and adults may develop pale red markings on the face; young have a yellow stripe on the back.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Length is about 38 to 42 mm (1.5 to 1.7 in).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in wet places such as ponds, marshes and lakes, often perching on vegetation.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It preys on other insects.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In the Bahamas and Cuba it is present year-round; in northern areas it is seen from mid-June to mid-August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Native to eastern North America and the West Indies.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 40 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Texas, Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Are they a problem for gardens or crops?
They feed on insects and are not reported to damage plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I see a Halloween pennant?
Look near ponds, marshes or lakes in eastern North America or the West Indies, especially from June to August in the north.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Libellulidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_pennant
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.