Epitheca costalis is one of several brown, medium-sized, mostly clear-winged members of the genus to occur in Alabama and Mississippi. Males generally have the most slender abdomen of this group, and the females have longer cerci than females of the other species. However, it’s often impossible to confidently identify some individuals without a microscope! This species is fairly common in Alabama, less so in Mississippi. The habitat is usually ponds, swamps, and pools along sluggish streams.