Bug FAQSedge Sprite
Nehalennia irene · Order: Odonata · Family: Coenagrionidae
The sedge sprite is a small damselfly about 1 to 1.5 inches long (25-38 mm). It lives near vernal pools, marshes and grassy ponds, perching on emergent plants. Adults are most active from mid-May through early September.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males have a bright green thorax on top and black-blue or yellow-green sides; the abdomen is dark iridescent green with a blue tip and dark green spots.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
They measure about 1-1.5 inches (25-38 mm) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found near vernal pools, marshes and grassy ponds, often perched on emergent vegetation.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Feeds on other insects, flying low and weaving through vegetation away from open water.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Most active from mid-May to early September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Native to many U.S. states and Canadian provinces, including Alaska, California, New York, Ontario and British Columbia.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Similar in appearance to sphagnum sprites and southern sprites.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 34 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin, New York, Ohio, Maine.
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
When are sedge sprites active?
They are most active from mid-May through early September.
Source: Wikipedia
What do sedge sprites look like?
Males have a bright green thorax on top, black-blue or yellow-green sides, and a dark iridescent green abdomen with a blue tip and dark green spots.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find a sedge sprite?
They are usually found near vernal pools, marshes and grassy ponds, perching on emergent plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Coenagrionidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedge_sprite
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.