The desert whitetail is found in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington.

This dragonfly species can be found near ponds, lakes, and seepage pools in desert areas.

They do not actively chase after their prey but wait for it to pass by, a strategy which affords them protection from other predators.

After both genders mate, the female flies singly, without the male attached, to lay her eggs.

She does this process by dipping the tip of her abdomen in the shallows of desert seeps and ponds while hovering above the surface of water.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) 2016 assessment, the desert whitetail is at “least concern” for extinction.