Black-Shouldered Spinyleg

Black-Shouldered Spinyleg

Dromogomphus spinosus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Washington

In 3 days ~10%

6 Verified sightings at Washington
36 In all 3 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Black-Shouldered Spinyleg

Dromogomphus spinosus, the black-shouldered spinyleg, is a species of dragonflies in the family Gomphidae. Like other spinylegs, D. spinosus have long spines on their legs that help in the capture of prey. True to their name their shoulders are black. The dorsal thorax has a light green I-shaped mark with pale ovals on either side. Their flight time is between late May and early September from southern Manitoba to the east coast of the US as far south as Florida. Terminal segments form a club with yellow lateral markings.

Adults average 2.5 in (64 mm). Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
2 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
2 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
3 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Black-Shouldered Spinyleg in Washington?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Shouldered Spinyleg sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1533rd most-seen of the 1807 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Black-Shouldered Spinyleg in Washington?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Shouldered Spinyleg in Washington on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Black-Shouldered Spinyleg?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-Shouldered Spinyleg sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Washington the best place to see a Black-Shouldered Spinyleg?

Among the best

Of the 4 cities where we can rate Black-Shouldered Spinyleg sightings, Washington ranks 4th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Boston (United States, under 5%), Montreal (Canada, under 5%) and Dallas (United States, under 5%).

Where does the Black-Shouldered Spinyleg sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Black-Shouldered Spinyleg is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (6 verified sightings), 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.

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