Montana Field Guide

The Western Pondhawk is a medium-sized dragonfly with a green face and pale-dark blue body (males); females have a mostly green thorax with a black abdominal dorsal stripe. Currently in MT, the Western Pondhawk is known only from Potosi Warm Spring in the Tobacco Root Mountains of Madison County. They have been found to prefer habitats of still waters of ponds, lakes, and marshes as well as slow flowing waters of streams and springs (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009).

Western Pondhawks prefer habitats of still waters of ponds, lakes, and marshes as well as slow flowing waters of streams and springs (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009). In Montana, this species has so far only been found in Potosi hot springs in Tobacco Root Mountains (Miller and Gustafson 1996).

Western Pondhawks are voracious predators and will prey on dragonflies their size and even other Western Pondhawks (Nikula et al. 2002). They will also eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites. The 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.

Male Western Pondhawks patrol territories with extended periods of hovering and quick flights over open water. Females are more common in dense grassy areas away from breeding sites. Copulation is completed at rest and is brief. The female then begins oviposition while guarded by the male. He flies around her while she deposits eggs by irregularly tapping her abdomen in the open water or onto algal mats (Dunkle 2000, Nikula et al. 2002, Paulson 2009).