Mid-May dragonflies in Southeast Michigan

I've been lax putting up current posts for this year's dragon hunting. Thus, I'll catch up by combining a few outings in one post.

May 15 at Lower Huron Metropark: I wanted to look for possible early Arrowhead Spiketails (Cordulegaster obliqua), but no luck for this species. However, I did find some other early odes for the season.

teneral male Ashy Clubtail (Gomphus lividus):

One of a few male baskettails (Epitheca sp.), this individual was closer to E. costalis than E. cynosura:

female Common Whitetail (Libellula lydia):


May 16 at UM-Dearborn: While doing a bird survey, several teneral Dot-tailed Whitefaces (Leucorrhinia intacta) were found along Jensen's Meadow.


May 23 at Willow Metropark: I thought Washago Pond may be a good area to search for Springtime Darner (Basiaeschna janata), but was wrong. However, I did find a nice variety of odes.

One of two male Familiar Bluets (Enallagma civile):

A coupled pair of Orange Bluets (Enallagma signatum):

An emerging dragonfly, possibly a Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia):

A male Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta) with wings that didn't unfold properly during eclosure:

One of six Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata):

Next up...late May...

Spring has Sprung!

During a lunch break of a conference I was attending on May 14th at the North Campus of UM - Ann Arbor, I took a walk around the wooded areas near the Huron River.

Much to my surprise a darner flew down the trail towards me, banked and somewhat crash-landed next to me. Immediately I recognized this as a Springtime Darner (Basiaeschna janata) and I was able to grab it by hand. (This male may have been focused on prey it had captured.)


The top of the head:


The face:


Another lateral view:

This is a species I've been trying to find in Wayne County for years and I've only had a couple of unsatisfactory looks from a distance. Here, I had an hour in Washtenaw County and find one without even searching. Sometimes one is lucky and sometimes not.

We don't know it all

People are often surprised at how many new county (and even state) records Stylurus and I have been able to find in such a populated and developed county such as Wayne in Michigan. People, there are still species left to discover. Big, conspicuous ones. In the United States. Here are some accounts of a new spiketail from east Texas by the discoverer, Greg Lasley, and Martin Reid.

Odes are on the wing here in southeast Michigan, so expect posts to resume here as our field season begins.

Winter odes in Jalisco

Nannothemis and I participated in a Conservation Birding Trip sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. The trip included one week in Jalisco, Mexico in late February-2010 and involved flying in/out of Guadalajara, spending a few days at high elevation in the Sierra de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve, and a few days at low elevation in/around the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve.

It was cold at elevation. Thus, we didn't find any dragonflies on the first portion of the trip, but I would recommend you visit Sierra de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve if the occasion arises. Apparently, there area helicopter damselflies (but likely when the temperatures are above freezing).

On our first evening (February 24th) at lower elevation we did a mangrove tour at La Manzanilla. Just before dusk we saw several darners which may have been Twilight Darners (Gynacantha nervosa).

Our first full day (February 25th) at lower elevation in the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve brought the first cooperative odes of the trip....
an immature male Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea):


and a Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa):


Later that day, we visited Playa Los Negritos and found several individuals of Striped Firetail (Telebasis filiola):


On our final day in the coastal area, we visited El Tamarindo Resort. Amazingly, the tourist resort has preserved a large patch of habitat (~1000 hectacres). During our drive to the birding locations, we did see some dragonflies near the golf course ponds, but we didn't have time to investigate.
The only ode giving a photo opp was this female Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea):


Obviously, February is not the month to find the greatest diversity of dragonflies. However, this state of Mexico is a great place to visit. We found the people, food, animals, and habitats to be great.

Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) in San Diego

It's winter and it's tough to find dragonflies in Michigan. While at a conference in San Diego this week, we found a bit of time to look for odes along the San Diego River.

We managed to find several individuals of one species, Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula), which may be good considering temps in the 50s (F).

Nannothemis captured this male having lunch:


I was able to capture a couple males by hand for these shots:



...and the habitat along the San Diego River:


The next day Nannothemis captured this image of me on the hunt for a female:


Here's a female Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) in the hand:



Hopefully our next destination turns up more species, but we suspect that may be a tall order. Check back in a couple of weeks to see if we have any success.