Perithemis tenera
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The eastern amberwing (Perithemis tenera) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is very small, reaching a total length of no more than 25 millimetres (0.98 in). The males have orange or amber wings, which likely contain pheomelanin. Both sexes have a red pterostigma. It is found in eastern North America, from northern Mexico north to south-eastern Canada.
The eastern amberwing dragonfly is one of the only types of dragonfly that actively mimics a wasp. The yellow and brown stripes on its abdomen encourage predators to stay away. When perched, they wiggle their abdomen and wings in a wasp-like fashion to deter other animals from eating it. Males have an elaborate courtship ritual. When a female approaches his territory, the male will lead her to his selected egg-laying site and hover above it with wings whirring and abdomen raised.
The common name refers to its eastern range, although this dragonfly does extend westward well into the central part of the United States. The scientific name, tenera, means delicate and alludes to its small size. Media related to Perithemis tenera at Wikimedia Commons
Perithemis tenera... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Lago de Yojoa | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 4 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 9 | Parque Natural Metropolitano | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 10 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Rosario | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 7 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Amberwing sighting in Big Bend National Park on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 108th most-seen of the 329 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Amberwing in Big Bend National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, August and November–February, the lowest months. That is one of Big Bend National Park's wettest months, with about 50 mm of rain against 10 mm in April.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Amberwing sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
6th of 11
Of the 11 parks where we can rate Eastern Amberwing sightings, Big Bend National Park ranks 6th at about 10%. The best odds are in Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 30%), Everglades National Park (United States, about 20%) and Lago de Yojoa (Honduras, about 10%).
Same family: Libellulidae
The closest relatives of the Eastern Amberwing that you can see in Big Bend National Park (family Libellulidae, Skimmers) are Black Setwing (about 20%), Variegated Meadowhawk (about 20%) and Flame Skimmer (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eastern Amberwing is recorded against all the insects logged in Big Bend National Park (18 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
