This list of damselflies and dragonflies follows the order in Rob Cannings’ book Introducing the Dragonflies of British Columbia and Yukon. Since that time, there have been a few changes. Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum) is now E. annexum. Western Meadowhawk (Sympetrum occidentale) is now lumped in with Band-winged Meadowhawk (S.semicinctum). Thanks to Gord Hutchings for these corrections.

Damselflies (Suborder Zygoptera)

Jewelwings (Family Calopterygidae)

  • River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis)

Spreadwings (Family Lestidae)

  • Spreadwings (Genus Lestes)
  • Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congenur)
  • Lyre-tipped Spreadwing (Lestes unguiculatus)
  • Emerald Spreadwing (Lestes dryas)
  • Northern Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus)
  • Sweetflag Spreadwing (Lestes forcipatus)

Pond Damsels (Family Coenagrionidae)
Dancers (Genus Argia)

  • Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)
  • Emma’s Dancer (Argia emma)

Red Damsels (Genus Amphiagrion)

  • Western Red Damsel (Amphiagrion abbreviatum)

Sprites (Genus Nehalennia)

  • Sedge Sprite (Nehalennia irene)

Eurasian Bluets (Genus Coenagrion)

  • Taiga Bluet (Coenagrion resolutum)
  • Subarctic Bluet (Coenagrion interrogatum)
  • Prairie Bluet (Coenagrion angulatum)

American Bluets (Genus Enallagma)

  • Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
  • Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)
  • Alkali Bluet (Enallagma clausum)
  • Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale)
  • Northern Bluet (Enallagma annexum)
  • Hagen’s Bluet (Enallagma hageni)
  • Marsh Bluet (Enallagma erbium)

Forktails (Genus Ischnura)

  • Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)
  • Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)
  • Plains Forktail (Ischnura damula)
  • Swift Forktail (Ischnura erratica)

Dragonflies (Suborder Anisoptera)

Petaltails (Family Petaluridae)

  • Black Petaltail (Tanypteryx hageni)

Darners (Family Aeshnidae)
Mosaic Darners (Genus Aeshna)

  • Lake Darner (Aeshna eremita)
  • Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta)
  • Canada Darner (Aeshna canadensis)
  • Black-tipped Darner (Aeshna tuberculifera)
  • Sedge Darner (Aeshna juncea)
  • Subarctic Darner (Aeshna subarctica)
  • Zigzag Darner (Aeshna sitchensis)
  • Azure Darner (Aeshna septentrionalis)
  • Paddle-tailed Darner (Aeshna palmata)
  • Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa)
  • Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta)

Genus Rionaeshchna

  • California Darner (Rhionaeschna californica)
  • Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor)

Green Darners (Genus Anax)

  • Common Green Darner (Anax junius)

Clubtails (Family Gomphidae)
Snaketails (Genus Ophiogomphus)

  • Pale Snaketail (Ophiogomphus severus)
  • Boreal Snaketail (Ophiogomphus colubrinus)
  • Sinuous Snaketail (Ophiogomphus occidentalis)

Grappletail (Genus Octogomphus)

  • Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis)

Common Clubtails (Genus Gomphus)

  • Pronghorn Clubtail (Gomphus graslinellus)

Hanging Clubtails (Genus Stylurus)

  • Olive Clubtail (Stylurus olivaceus)

Spiketails (Family Cordulegastridae)

  • Pacific Spiketail (Cordulegaster dorsalis)

Cruisers (Family Macromiidae)

  • Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica)

Emeralds (Family Corduliidae)
Baskettails (Genus Epitheca)

  • Spiny Baskettail (Epitheca spinigera)
  • Beaverpond Baskettail (Epitheca canis)

Striped Emeralds (Genus Somatochlora)

  • Brush-tipped Emerald (Somatochlora walshii)
  • Ocellated Emerald (Somatochlora minor)
  • Delicate Emerald (Somatochlora franklini)
  • Kennedy’s Emerald (Somatochlora kennedyi)
  • Forcipate Emerald (Somatochlora forcipata)
  • Mountain Emerald (Somatochlora semicircularis)
  • Whitehouse’s Emerald (Somatochlora whitehousei)
  • Muskeg Emerald (Somatochlora septentionalis)
  • Ringed Emerald (Somatochlora albinicincta)
  • Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta)
  • Hudsonian Emerald (Somatochlora hudsonica)
  • Lake Emerald (Somatochlora cingulata)

Common Emeralds (Genus Cordulia)

  • American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffii)

Skimmers (Family Libellulidae)

  • Chalk-fronted Skimmer (Ladona julia)
  • Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)

King Skimmers (Genus Libellula)

  • Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)
  • Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis)
  • Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

Pondhawks (Genus Erythemis)

  • Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata)

Blue Dasher (Genus Pachydiplax)

  • Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)

Meadowhawks (Genus Sympetrum)

  • Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
  • Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum)
  • Red-veined Meadowhawk (Sympetrum madidum)
  • Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum)
  • Saffron-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum costiferum)
  • Band-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum)
  • Black Meadowhawk (Sympetrum danae)
  • Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum)
  • White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)
  • Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes)

Whitefaces (Genus Leucorrhinia)

  • Boreal Whiteface (Leucorrhinia borealis)
  • Hudsonian Whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica)
  • Canada Whiteface (Leucorrhinia patricia)
  • Crimsom-ringed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia glacialis)
  • Belted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia proxima)
  • Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)

Saddlebag Gliders (Genus Tramea)

  • Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Rainpool Gliders (Genus Pantala)

  • Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea)