At this time on warm or hot, sunny days it is a good bet you will find me spending at least an hour or two conducting dragonfly and damselfly surveys. More species are emerging as the summer begins and it is the prime time to find both great diversity and tremendous numbers of odonates at ponds, streams, rivers, swamps, bogs – nearly anywhere with an abundance of water.
Last weekend I visited Akeley Swamp just over the Pennsylvania border to see what it held in its Conewango Creek-fed wetlands. I was overwhelmed with 30 species including several that were a first for the year for me. Here are some of the highlights with my photos from the field and Twan’s photos of the same individuals in Meet Your Neighbours style.
Spatterdock Darner (Rhionaeschna mutata)
Spatterdock Darner (Rhionaeschna mutata)
Spatterdock Darner (Rhionaeschna mutata)
Spatterdock Darner (Rhionaeschna mutata)
I was happy to find a group of Eastern Least Clubtails (Stylogomphus albistylus) with their surprisingly small stature all the more evident in Twan’s shot.
The darker and larger Harpoon Clubtail (Gomphus descriptus) was not far away.
Some more common species helped fill out the ranks…
Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)
Harlequin Darner (Gomphaeschna furcillata)
Unicorn Clubtail (Arigomphus villosipes) with a friend
Spatterdock Darner (Rhionaeschna mutata)
Spatterdock Darner (Rhionaeschna mutata)
Get out there and find some for yourself this summer and make your Fourth of July a celebration of dragonflying!
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
