I was looking forward to making a post on an earlier date, but we've had an extremely cold and wet spring. I believe it's the 2nd wettest spring on record for this area.
Up through today (May 29th), I've only tallied 6 species of odonata of only several individuals. Below is my meager list of first dates:
- Fragile Forktail (
Ischnura posita) = emerging individuals mid-May in Farmington Hills
- Eastern Forktail (
Ischnura verticalis) = emerging individuals mid-May in Farmington Hills. Here's a fairly teneral female from 5/19:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObXz-ZLLmzgWHLy2VpTtqYMptoHp4wYTYsMmS9871PuaMp3d5DLUy1FmbhE3Qerc1e2aN77BINu9Ah3hblrZB715jNnzFSvcwUyyAbAJUmbOgoO1RpcWbGcmDz7jGUG-OFG4yuA/s320/5748401113_cdf9ba320b.jpg)
- Common Green Darner (
Anax junius) = one male on 5/5 in Farmington Hills
- baskettail sp. (
Epitheca sp.) = 6+ on 5/29 at UM-Dearborn. These were likely Common (
E. cynosura), but could have the possibility of being Stripe-winged (
E. costalis).
- Dot-tailed Whiteface (
Leucorrhinia intacta) = one young male on 5/29 at UM-Dearborn:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1_q4HKWLxvgJ6Q3fNflJAfnuiAN72jo5yvHdIcONfjChyphenhyphent_cXlBcrVMysa0CEpL0h_GkvqS4MLkWh3cXmNCpaHTlEFjfA3G0g7owV2rGvZNyBO9j63hxnLcw4aB9kLD74AhuHA/s320/DSCF2612.JPG)
- Common Whitetail (
Plathemis lydia) = one teneral female at Maybury State Park on 5/22. Here's a teneral male found 5/23 in Farmington Hills:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASPAR4Fk6a7NPeYvWTldgjLHZlQD2ekIZz9NPZV9wdbUNPwWlnY5oWdueDwGYwJkyUCqu5LisOj6EhWPDVSy7Cj5R8YTMGMOWA4toMzMlVwA5bT8ktT7t_OeUaHTniK4_NUpXew/s320/DSCF2554.JPG)
Don't worry, there is more to come. Although we could see a lower number of river and stream species this year due to the excessive flooding experienced this spring.