Halloween Pennant
Celithemis eponina
Halloween Pennants are orange-and-brown dragonflies that perch like tiny flags around Florida ponds, marshes, and wet ditches.
Halloween Pennants breed in still or slow freshwater with abundant emergent plants. Adults hunt over fields, pond edges, and wetland vegetation.
The name comes from the orange-and-brown wing pattern and the pennant-like way adults sway from the tips of grasses.
Habitat:
Lakes and Ponds, Freshwater Wetlands, Canals and Ditches
Area / Range:
Statewide
Diet:
Adults capture mosquitoes, midges, flies, and other small flying insects. Aquatic nymphs eat insect larvae and other tiny animals.
Behavior:
Adults make short hunting flights, return to exposed perches, and tolerate breezy sites by flexing with vegetation.
Day
Active Times:
Best time to see:
Sunny warm days from spring through fall near ponds, marshes, and grassy wetland edges.
Florida Native Status:
Native
Conservation Status:
Common and widespread where clean shallow freshwater and emergent vegetation remain available.
Safety Level:
Low Risk
Safety Information:
Dragonflies do not sting and rarely bite unless handled roughly. Watch them without capturing them.
Benefits to Property:
Adults consume nuisance flying insects, and nymphs contribute to balanced pond food webs.
Property Concerns:
They cause no plant or structural damage. Pesticide drift and removal of all pond-edge vegetation reduce populations.
Fun Fact:
Like other dragonflies, the Halloween Pennant spends most of its life underwater as a predatory nymph before emerging as a winged adult.
Wildlife Laws:
General protected-area and pesticide laws apply. Follow every pesticide label and avoid treating open water or flowering plants unless the product specifically permits it.
Identification:
All four wings show bold orange or yellow patches crossed by dark brown bands. The body is yellow-orange with dark markings, and mature males often become brighter red-orange.
Credits:
Facts: authoritative species reference. Images: primary and secondary, Wikimedia Commons.