Hine's Emerald Dragonfly

The Hine’s emerald dragonfly is among the most endangered dragonflies in the United States. The habitat is only found in limited locations throughout the upper U.S. Midwest and only within the Lower Des Plaines River watershed in Illinois. The habitat of the Hine's is a rare and localized type of wetland found within multiple sub-watersheds of the Lower Des Plaines. The state- and federally-endangered Hine's emerald dragonfly has in some ways become a symbol of conservation in the Lower Des Plaines valley. The Hine's emerald - so named because of its brilliant emerald green eyes - appears to begin its life in cool shallow, slow-moving waters, spring-fed marshes, and seepage sedge meadows. Most larvae have been found along the edges of and in the shallow water of narrow channels. Adults usually fly over open areas of herbaceous vegetation and feed in meadows and fields that have groups of shrubs near breeding habitat (small areas of shallow water). Adults may live from five to six weeks.