One of the rarest dragonflies in North America found in Bollinger Co., Mo.

BOLLINGER COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) - A rare dragonfly was found in southeast Missouri in June.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the first-ever sighting of a male Hine’s emerald dragonfly marks a milestone in the state’s conservation efforts for this federally endangered species.

They say MDC staff and partners found the dragonfly during routine biological monitoring near a spring-fed wetland, called a Karst Fen, on private land in late June.

The Missouri Department of Conservation confirms the first-ever observation of a male Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) in Bollinger County (shown here), marking a significant milestone in the state’s conservation efforts for this federally endangered species. (Missouri Department of Conservation)

“The Hine’s emerald