Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile (Hagen, 1861)    Synonyms: Civil Bluet.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Odonata   >   Family Coenagrionidae   >   Genus Enallagma   

Status:

Widespread and common in Maryland, and possibly the most widespread and common damselfly in North America (Lam, 2004). Uses ponds and other slow-moving habitats, including brackish water. Quickly discovers man-made habitats.

Description:

This is the starting point for learning damselflies, the quintessential bluet. Extremely similar to Hagen's, Marsh, and Atlantic Bluets. Marsh Bluet is historical. Atlantic Bluet is highly state rare. Hagen's Bluet is restricted to western Maryland and common in Garrett County.

Where to find:

When flying, probably the most likely damselfly at your local pond.

There are 1,413 records in the project database.

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A Familiar Bluet in Harford Co., Maryland (6/22/2017). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A late flying Familiar Bluet in Howard Co., Maryland (11/10/2012). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Familiar Bluet in Harford Co., Maryland (6/13/2018). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Familiar Bluet in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/20/2014). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Familiar Bluet in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (6/29/2019). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

A Familiar Bluet in Calvert Co., Maryland (9/1/2019). Photo by Jason Avery. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluet in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/15/2020). (c) jasoneavery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jason Avery. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluet in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/17/2021). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluet in Harford Co., Maryland (8/31/2011). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluets in wheel in Harford Co., Maryland (6/13/2018). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluet in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/22/2023). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluets in mid-October in Howard Co., Maryland (10/15/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluet in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/2/2021). (c) Jason E. Avery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jason Avery. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluet in Calvert Co., Maryland (9/16/2023). (c) Jason E. Avery, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jason Avery. (MBP list)

A Familiar Bluet in Baltimore City, Maryland (7/17/2014). Photo by Mike Hudson. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluet in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/18/2020). (c) Nathaniel Schwartz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND). Photo by Nathaniel Schwartz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Familiar Blues in Howard Co., Maryland (9/26/2010). Photo by Rob Ostrowski. (MBP list)

An adult male Familiar Bluet in Dorchester Co., Maryland (10/13/2013). This was the first county record noted for the species, so Familiar Bluet has now been recorded in all 23 Maryland counties. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Familiar Bluet in Howard Co., Maryland (9/26/2010). (c) Robert Ostrowski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Robert Ostrowski via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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