Illinois Odonate Survey Resources
We are a community science program surveying dragonfly and damselflies populations and accounts throughout Illinois. Apply now to become a volunteer monitor!
Surveys conducted by odonate monitors can be analyzed to show relative abundance, changes in abundance over time, and distributions of dragonflies and damselflies.
New to the Illinois Odonate Survey? Click here to learn more about the program!
Keep reading for information on Illinois dragonfly and damselfly species, monitor resources, workshop dates, and more.
2025 Training Workshops
New volunteers must complete a beginner workshop training.
This year’s beginner training workshops will be held jointly with the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network (IBMN) on Zoom. The workshops consist of two sections. The first covers how to get started monitoring in both programs and how to follow the survey protocols. For the second half we will split into breakout rooms for butterfly and dragonfly/damselfly identification training. If you would like to join both IBMN and IOS you may register for two separate sessions.
We will also be offering an additional workshop for anyone who would like to learn more about damselfly identification. This presentation does not include the beginner training for new monitors, but will offer identification guidance for some of the region’s more common damselfly species.
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Illinois’ Common Species Galleries
Black Saddlebags
Photo by P. Dacko
Black-Shouldered Spinyleg
Common Blue Dasher
Common Blue Dasher
Photo by V. Berardi
Calico Pennant
Photo by P. Dacko
Calico Pennant
Common Green Darner
Photo by V. Berardi
Halloween Pennant
Photo by D. Bruner
Lance-Tipped Darner
Prince Baskettail
Photo by D. Jagodzinski
Prong Horn Clubtail
Russet-Tipped Clubtail
Spot Winged Glider
Yellow-Legged Meadowhawk
Wandering Glider
Photo by J. Golec
Eastern Forktail (Mature Male)
Photo by S. Graff
Eastern Forktail (Mature Female)
Photo by S. Graff
Eastern Forktail (Immature Female)
Photo by S. Graff
American Rubyspot (female)
Variable Dancer
Sweetflag Spreadwing
Stream Bluet good (female)
Stream Bluet (male)
Slender Spreadwing
Slender Bluet (male)
Slender Bluet (female)
Skimming Bluet (male)
Skimming Bluet (female)
Sedge Sprite
Rainblow Bluet (male)
Rainbow Bluet (female)
Powdered Dancer (male)
American Rubyspot (male)
Azure Bluet (female)
Blue Fronted Dancer (female)
Blue Fronted Dancer (male)
Blue Ringed Dancer
Blue Tipped Dancer (female)
Blue Tipped Dancer (female) #2
Blue Tipped Dancer (male)
Common Spreadwing (female)
Common Spreadwing (male)
Double Striped Bluet
Eastern Forktail (female)
Eastern Forktail (female) #2
Eastern Forktail (male – orange form)
Eastern Forktail (male)
Ebony Jewelwing
Emerald Spreadwing
Familiar Bluet
Fragile Forktail (female)
Fragile Forktail (male)
Lyre Tipped Spreadwing
Lyre Tipped Spreadwing #2
Marsh Bluet
Orange Bluet (female – blue form)
Orange Bluet (female)
Orange Bluet (male – blue form)
Orange Bluet (male)
Powdered Dancer (female)
Training Videos
Contact Us
Questions about the program? Looking for additional resources? Use the form below to get in touch with our team.