powdered dancer

Powdered dancer is a common and widespread, medium to large sized damselfly. At 1½″ to 1¾″ it is the largest dancer damselfly (genus Argia) and the largest narrow-winged or pond damselfly (family Coenagrionidae). Unlike American bluets (genus Enallagma) dancers are easy to identify in the field by their colors and the pattern of their markings.

The thorax on immature males is tan with two broad, dark stripes on the upper (dorsal) surface. It becomes dark brown with age. On older males it is almost completely covered with a chalky white, waxy substance (pruinescence).

The abdomen is brown on young males except for a dorsal pale area on segment 1 and a narrow pale ring at the base of segments 3 through 7. Segments 9 and 10 are pale gray. The base color darkens with age, becoming almost black on older individuals. On the male there are two pairs of claspers at the tip of the abdomen. The upper pair (cerci) are shorter than the lower pair (paraprocts). On the female there is no vulvular spine on the lower part of abdominal segment 8.

The wings are clear and are distinctly narrowed (stalked) at the base. The stigmas are short, less than twice as long as wide, and there are two cells below the stigma. There are only two cross veins between the base of the wing and the wing notch (nodus). The median vein intersection, where the M₃ vein rises to meet the M₁ vein, occurs after the nodus, closer to the nodus than the basal cross vein (arculus).

The legs are short, pale, and armed with spines. The spines on the lower leg (tibia) are long, twice as long as the space between the spines.

The female has two color forms, one with a brown thorax, the other with a blue thorax. The shoulder stripes are hair thin. The abdomen is brown with a wide, pale dorsal stripe and narrow, dark lateral stripes.

SizeTotal length: 1½″ to 1¾″

In our area, the whitish pruinosity on the male is unique to this species.

Blue-fronted dancer (Argia apicalis) female is smaller and abdominal segments 8 through 10 are darker.

Streams and rivers with emergent rocks and large lakes with rocky shores

Early June to early September

The wings are held over the abdomen when at rest. They perch in open, sunny places, especially rocks.

Mating takes place throughout the summer. The mating couple descends, still attached, into water to deposit eggs on submerged wood and algae-covered rocks. The pair may remain underwater for an hour or more. The eggs hatch and the larva overwinters. The following year the young adults (tenerals) emerge on rocks or logs above the water line. After emerging it takes two weeks to develop adult coloration.

Flying insects

Sources

7, 18, 29, 30, 82, 83

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 8/2/2025).

Steffens, W. P., and W. A. Smith. 1999. Status survey for special concern and endangered dragonflies of Minnesota: population status, inventory and monitoring recommendations. Final report submitted to the Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 54 pp.

Common

Argia moesta (Powdered Dancer)
Allen Chartier

Powdered Dancer Damselfly
Ed McAskill

Powdered Dancer doing push ups
Meena Haribal