Common Green Darner
RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser was pretty excited when he told me he had our first of the year dragonfly yesterday, this Common Green Darner. These darners are migrants just like the neotropical avian migrants that are patiently waiting to flood the woods in the Northeast. Photographed for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Connecticut while on assignment for The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Read MoreHalloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)
The Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina), one of the more charismatic dragonflies in the Northeast. They acquired the name “pennant” because of their tendency to perch on the tips of stalks of grass and wave in the breeze. Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project in Connecticut while on assignment for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History.
Read MoreDragonfly Swarm!
On the evening of July 21, 2015 a cold front was rapidly advancing through Stratford, Connecticut from the northwest, bringing showers and thunderstorms to the tri-state area. This video was taken at Stratford Point, a peninsula that stretches far into Long Island Sound and harbors migratory insects and birds throughout the year. These Swamp Darners (Epiaeschna heros) and Common Green Darners (Anax junius) suddenly swarmed the site, seeking refuge from the rain and storms in this corner of the building and covered porch. Some literally flew into me while I filmed. This behavior has been...
Read MoreDragonfly Hike
Here is a short video of the dragonfly hike that I led last weekend at the Aspetuck Land Trust’s Trout Brook Valley Conservation Area, as filmed by trail steward Thomas Carter Jr. on a hot and sticky Saturday morning and afternoon. Fortunately we had some great finds, including the threatened Tiger Spiketail, and you can see me netting a Widow Skimmer. Our thanks to Thomas! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
Read MoreOdonate Walk
Via the Aspetuck Land Trust with photos from ALT’s Jacquie Littlejohn: Over the weekend, Scott Kruitbosch of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History led an enthusiastic group of ALT members on a walk to see and learn about Odonata and Other Flying Objects in our Trout Brook Valley preserve. Among the various odonates (aka dragonflies and damselflies) we saw were: Widow Skimmer, Tiger Spiketail, Arrowhead Spiketail, Eastern Pondhawk, White-faced Meadowhawk, Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Common Whitetail, Ebony Jewelwing and Eastern Forktail. Everyone got to see multiple Tiger...
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