Hine's Emerald Dragonfly Brochure

for the Chicago Metro Area

PDF Version

We share our community with an endangered species,

the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly.

This rare dragonfly is only found in a few small areas in four states, and you live in one of them!

Help keep this animal from becoming extinct by preventing water pollution.

The dragonfly depends on ground water that flows from the communities near the wetland habitat along the Des Plaines River.

Help Water Take the Right Path
to the Dragonflies

When it rains, water can either go
into the ground or into a storm drain.

Photo of a side of a house.

The dragonfly
depends on
water that flows
into the ground
from the
communities
surrounding
their habitat.

Drawing of soil, grass, flowers, and raindrops.

When water is captured in lawns and gardens it seeps into the ground.

Photo of oil slicked water flowing into a storm drain.

When water flows from your

driveway, roof or parking lot into the street, it goes through pipes that lead straight to the river.

Photo of water flowing out of a storm pipe.

Water that empties straight into the river deprives the wetland habitat and the dragonfly of critical water.

This rainwater travels through the ground and trickles into wetlands, creating shallow streams where the dragonflies lay their eggs.

Photo of a seep.

Make sure dragonflies
get the water they
need by taking simple
actions around your
home and yard.

Dragonfly over marsh illustration

Did you know?

Baby dragonflies, called nymphs, start their lives in water where they remain for 4-5 years before they emerge as adult dragonflies. They lay their eggs in small, shallow streams in marshy prairies that are perfect for this rare dragonfly.

The Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly lives in open wetlands along the Des Plaines River. Because it can only survive in the kinds of wet prairies that exist in our region, this dragonfly is ours to protect.

You can help protect the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly by providing the wetlands with clean, plentiful water.

Here’s how:

Plant a garden	Flowers and shrubs planted in shallow depressions allow rainwater from impervious surfaces like sidewalks and driveways to soak into the ground instead of flowing into stormdrains. Use native plants in your rain garden to create a beautiful and easy to maintain space that attracts native birds and butterflies.


Disconnect your downspout.	Prevent water from running off your property by disconnecting your downspout from the sewer system. Instead, direct the water from your roof to your yard and garden or capture it in a rain barrel. Conserve water by using this rainwater to water your lawn and garden.

Reduce lawn chemicals.	Fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides pollute our local wetlands. According to the U.S. EPA, U.S. homeowners used 67 million pounds of pesticides on their lawn in 2002. By minimizing use of these chemicals we will be ending cleaner water to our wetlands and the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly.


Did you know? Dragonflies are nature’s water monitors. If they are not thriving it’s a sign that something is wrong with local water quality or quantity.
Resources Small changes can make a big difference. Check out these resources for tips on taking action around your home: For rain garden planting tips and design ideas, check out the Rain Gardens Network at www. raingardennetwork.com or the Native Planting Guide at www.epa.gov/greenacres/wildones/ index.html. For rain barrel guides and assembly instructions, view a This Old House instructional video at www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video. For tips on reducing lawn chemicals, visit Audubon Society’s downloadable resources section at www.audubon.org/bird/at_home.