Montana Field Guide

The Variable Darner is a member of the family Aeshnidae. Darners are among the largest and fastest-flying North American dragonflies, 2 1/4-4 3/4" (57-120 mm) long. Variable Darners are found state-wide from the mountains to the prairies. Preferred habitat includes a variety of lakes and ponds with dense shoreline vegetation, marshy or boggy ponds, fens, and saline ponds, as well as slow-moving streams (Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009, Dunkle 2000). Associated Wetland ecological systems are numerous: Western Emergent Marsh, Northern Rocky Mountain Wooded Vernal Pool and the Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Fen, Great Plains Open Freshwater Depressional Wetland, Great Plains Prairie Pothole,and potentially the Great Plains Saline Depression Wetland since these dragons can tolerate saline conditions.

Variable Darners are found in many habitats, including a variety of lakes and ponds with dense shoreline vegetation, marshy or boggy ponds, fens, and saline ponds, as well as slow-moving streams (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009). Away from breeding sites, Variable Darners can be found feeding, sometimes in very large swarms, in mountains clearings, open fields, and along roads. This species often perches vertically on tree trunks, branches, other available vegetation, and sometimes on rocks and the ground (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009).

Larvae feed on a wide variety of aquatic insects, such as mosquito larvae, other aquatic fly larvae, mayfly larvae, and freshwater shrimp. They will also eat very small fish and tadpoles.
Adult- The dragonfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.

Male Variable Darners patrol small territories and fly through vegetation often hovering and investigating for females. Copulating pairs, as well as tandem pairs, are seen for extended periods of time at breeding sites. Females oviposit on floating sedge and grass stems, upright herbaceous and shrub stems, as well as on wet logs (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009).