A conservation team in Missouri just found one of North America's scarcest insects, WRIC reported.
Scientists spotted a male Hine's emerald dragonfly in June on private property in Bollinger County. This marks the first time anyone has documented the federally protected insect in that county.
The team made the discovery while conducting regular monitoring activities in a spring-fed marsh. The location is more than 30 miles east of any other known habitat for these insects in Missouri.
This breakthrough means scientists have identified what could be a new breeding ground for the species. Only about 30,000 of these dragonflies exist globally, which means that each new habitat discovery is crucial for the insect's future.
The Missouri population has particularly valuable genetic diversity compared to populations near the Great Lakes, making this find even more important for conservation efforts.
For local communities, protecting these insects safeguards the fragile marsh systems that clean groundwater and reduce flood risks. The dragonflies require precise conditions to thrive, including shallow water areas with crayfish burrows, which makes them strong indicators of wetland health.
The vivid green insects with yellow stripes act as natural pest controllers. They also feed birds and other animals. Adults typically appear in June, flying near the specialized wetland habitats where they reproduce.
If you want to help protect these rare insects, support local wetland conservation efforts. If you spot unusual dragonflies near springs or wetlands, report your observations to your state conservation department immediately.
"The Hine's emerald dragonfly is one of the rarest dragonflies in North America," said MDC Natural History Biologist Steve Schell in a press release, per WRIC. "It wasn't known from Missouri until 1999 and since then has only been documented from a handful of eastern Ozark counties."
"Finding a male is exciting, but we hope to find larvae or adults that indicate long-term breeding success," Schell added.