Slow start to the southeast Michigan ode season

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:


- 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:


- 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:


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.