Common name: Mottled Darner
Scientific name: Aeshna clepsydra Say, 1839

Class:
Insecta (Insects)
Order:
Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
Family:
Aeshnidae (Darners)
Synonyms:
Other common names:

Habitat type(s):
Habitat description(s)

Ecological systems and subsytems (about):
LACUSTRINE - NATURAL LAKES AND PONDS:
Coastal plain pond (guide)
The aquatic community of the permanently flooded portion of a coastal plain pond with seasonally, and annually fluctuating water levels. These are shallow, groundwater-fed ponds that occur in kettle-holes or shallow depressions in the outwash plains south of the terminal moraines of Long Island, and New England. A series of coastal plain ponds are often hydrologically connected, either by groundwater, or sometimes by surface flow in a small coastal plain stream.
PALUSTRINE - OPEN PEATLANDS:
Dwarf shrub bog (guide)
A wetland usually fed by rainwater or mineral-poor groundwater and dominated by short, evergreen shrubs and peat mosses. The surface of the peatland is usually hummocky, with shrubs more common on the hummocks and peat moss throughout. The water in the bog is usually nutrient-poor and acidic.
LACUSTRINE - NATURAL LAKES AND PONDS:
Eutrophic pond* (guide)
The aquatic community of a small, shallow, nutrient-rich pond. The water is usually green with algae, and the bottom is mucky. Eutrophic ponds are too shallow to remain stratified throughout the summer; they are winter-stratified, monomictic ponds.
PALUSTRINE - OPEN PEATLANDS:
Highbush blueberry bog thicket (guide)
A wetland usually fed by rainwater or mineral-poor groundwater and dominated by tall shrubs and peat mosses. The most abundant shrub is usually highbush blueberry. The water in the bog is usually nutrient-poor and acidic.
PALUSTRINE - OPEN PEATLANDS:
Inland poor fen (guide)
A wetland fed by acidic water from springs and seeps. Plant remains in these fens do not decompose rapidly and thus the plants in these fens usually grow on older, undecomposed plant parts of mostly sphagnum mosses.
LACUSTRINE - NATURAL LAKES AND PONDS:
Mesotrophic dimictic lake* (guide)
The aquatic community of a lake that is intermediate between an oligotrophic lake and a eutrophic lake. These lakes are dimictic: they have two periods of mixing or turnover (spring and fall); they are thermally stratified in the summer, and they freeze over and become inversely stratified in the winter.
LACUSTRINE - NATURAL LAKES AND PONDS:
Oligotrophic dimictic lake* (guide)
The aquatic community of a nutrient-poor lake that typically occurs in a deep, steeply-banked basin. These lakes are dimictic: they have two periods of mixing or turnover (spring and fall), they are thermally stratified in the summer, and they freeze over and become inversely stratified in the winter.
LACUSTRINE - LACUSTRINE CULTURAL:
Reservoir/artificial impoundment
The aquatic community of an artificial lake created by the impoundment of a river with a dam. Reservoirs are constructed to collect water for municipal and/or agricultural water use, to provide hydroelectric power, and to improve opportunities for recreational activities (e.g., boating, swimming), and development.

* probable association but not confirmed.


Conservation:
Global conservation status rank:
G4G5
Apparently or Demonstrably Secure globally - Uncommon to common in the world, but not rare; usually widespread, but may be rare in some parts of its range; possibly some cause for long-term concern due to declines or other factors. More information is needed to assign either G4 or G5.
State conservation status rank:
S4
Apparently Secure in New York - Uncommon in New York but not rare; usually widespread, but may be rare in some parts of the state; possibly some cause for long-term concern due to declines or other factors.
Federal protection:
Not Listed
State protection:
Not Listed
Not listed or protected by New York State.
SGCN:
NYNHP track status:
W: Track on a watch list only

More information:
Conservation guide:
https://guides.nynhp.org/mottled-darner/
NatureServe explorer link:
https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.112398/Aeshna_clepsydra/