Welcome to Odonata Central
This citizen science web site site is focused on expanding our understanding of the distribution, biogeography, biodiversity, and identification of Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) in the Western Hemisphere. We encourage you to contribute your observations and explore the observations of others in maps, lists of records and species lists.
Add Observations Browse Observations Add Photos2025 DSA Meeting
The 2025 Meeting of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas will be held on 26-30 June in Boise Idaho. See their website for more information as it becomes available. Dragonfly Society of the Americas.
2025 "Summer" Odolympics
The 2025 "Summer" Odolympics will be held 16-24 August 2025. The Odolympics are organized by the Dragonfly Society of the Americans. See their website for more information as it becomes available. Updated instuctions will be available here in early August. Dragonfly Society of the Americas.
The Odonata Central Website
Odonata Central is place where you can keep track of all your observations, photos and specimens and manage all your personal lists, all while contributing to citizen science. There is an extensive database of odonate observations you can explore. There are many map types and many ways to view and filter data. Explore species lists for any location with early and late flight dates. Download any data set to a spreadsheet for further analysis. iNaturalist sightings are now included on maps and you can import observations directly from iNaturalist.
Help resources include the FAQ, a step-by-step User Guide and Video Tutorials.
Donate!
Love Odonata Central? Please consider supporting the further development of Odonata Central with a tax-deductible donation to Birds in the Hand Software so that we can keep adding new features.
Mandatory Upgrade for Odonata Central Phone App
A new version (1.71) of the Odonata Central phone app has been released. This new version is compatible with the new taxonomy system in place on the Odonata Central website. All app users must update to ensure their checklist integrity is maintained.
Phone App
The Odonata Central phone app allows you to easily enter complete checklists into Odonata Central from your phone. Available for both IOS and Android and supporting English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. Search for it in either the Apple or Google Store.
Use the Add Photos button on the website to easily add photos to checklists created in the field with the app.
Watch a 10 minute instructional video: Introduction to the Odonata Central Phone App
Odonata Central is Now Multilingual!
Due to the power of Google Translate, Odonata Central can now be viewed in 108 languages. Select "Translate" from the top menu to select your language of choice.
Dragonfly ID app for IOS and Android
Dragonfly ID features bar charts built from the OdonataCentral database of sightings, recent sightings submitted to OdonataCentral displayed on maps, crowd-sourced text, images and more. Status and distribution information for odonates in North America.
Download from the Apple App store or Google Play store. Learn more here.
(Note that this app allows you to view data from Odonata Central but does not yet allow you to enter observations into Odonata Central.)
Dragonfly Society of the Americas
The Dragonfly Society of the Americas (DSA) advances the discovery, conservation and knowledge of Odonata through observation, collection, research, publication and education.
DSA website