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The Daily Bucket -- Dragonflies of Summer [1]
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Date: 2022-10-05
Dragonflies and damselflies belong to the Onodata order.
The order Odonata ("toothed ones") includes some of the most ancient and beautiful insects that ever roamed Earth, as well as some of the largest flying invertebrates ever to have lived. Odonata consists of three groups: Anisoptera (which includes dragonflies), Zygoptera (which includes damselflies), and Anisozygoptera (a relict group represented by only two living species. This order is very diverse with about 5000 species, and its members are easy to observe. . . . Both major suborders have large heads with very large compound eyes relative to the rest of their body. Each compound eye is composed of nearly 28,000 individual units (ommatidia), and together the eyes cover most of the head. More than 80% of their brain is devoted to analyzing visual information. By contrast, their antennae are tiny. Their mouths have been adapted for biting, making them efficient hunters. All Odonata have a prehensile labium, which can be extended forward from underneath the head faster than most prey can react, making their bite fatal to prey. The six legs are all located near the head and are seldom used for walking, but are more useful in catching prey and perching on vegetation to rest or lay eggs. . . . The oldest recognizable fossils of the group belong to the Protodonata, an ancestral group that is now extinct. The earliest fossils so far discovered come from Upper Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) sediments in Europe formed about 325 million years ago. Like modern-day dragonflies, the Protodonata were fast-flying with spiny legs that may have assisted in capturing prey; their wingspan was up to 75 centimeters (30 inches). The group went extinct in the Triassic, about the time that dinosaurs began to appear. ucmp.berkeley.edu/...
The Halloween Pennant is one of my favorite dragonflies because it was the first one I photographed and identified. It also has a really cool name, as do many dragonflies and damselflies. This article explains the difference between the two. Easiest way I use is to look at the eyes. If they meet at the top of the head, dragonfly. Damselflies still have huge eyes, but they are on the sides of the head.
Female and young male Halloween Pennants are more yellow than orange, with the males darkening with age.
Male Halloween Pennant, with darker orange. Zoomed.
Young male or female. Zoomed.
A similar dragonfly, but without the yellow/orange color, is the Twelve-spotted Skimmer.
Twelve-spotted Skimmer female, with three spots on each of her four wings. Males have eight white spots between the black ones. Zoomed.
From the National Park Service’s Mississippi website:
Approach this dragonfly slowly, but if it flies off, move closer to its vacant perch quickly and then stop. Often the twelve-spotted will return providing the careful stalker great views of its behavior. Also watch for females laying eggs in flight by striking the surface of the water with the tip of her abdomen.
Sticking with the black and white theme, here’s the Widow Skimmer.
Widow Skimmer male. Females lack the white spots. Zoomed.
More interesting facts from the National Park Service in Mississippi:
Like most other dragonflies, the widow skimmer male is territorial and may patrol very large areas to search for females and to chase off other males. After mating, the female usually lays her eggs alone in shallow ponds or lakes. However, if there are many other males around, the original male may jealously guard her while she is laying to make sure some other male doesn't interfere.
Widow Skimmer male. Zoomed.
Next up is one of the Meadowhawks. Despite their name, they are small for dragonflies, at 1.5 to 2 inches. Mississippi’s NPS website again:
Because of their size, they are sometimes hunted by larger dragonflies, which may account for their perching either in the grass or on twigs close to the ground. Surprisingly, they are easily approached for observation or photographing.
This Autumn Meadowhawk, so called because they stay into the fall, showed up in my backyard this week. Zoomed.
A very common sight at the Michigan and Ohio marshes I visited was the Eastern Pondhawk. They can be aggressive and will even prey on other dragonflies their size.
Eastern Pondhawk male at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area. Zoomed.
Eastern Pondhawk female at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area. Zoomed.
Eastern Pondhawk female. Zoomed.
Another common dragonfly in my area is the Blue Dasher,
the largest and showiest dragonfly family, and it’s the only member of its genus. Its range stretches across North America from British Columbia to Ontario, south (except for the Rockies and Dakotas) to California and Florida, with scenic side-trips into Mexico, the Bahamas, and Belize. University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
Blue Dasher male. Zoomed.
Blue Dasher male in the backyard.
Blue Dasher female at Magee Marsh in Ohio. Zoomed.
Blue Dasher pair. It was early morning and still cool at Magee Marsh in Ohio. These and other dragonflies were sitting with their bodies aligned with the sun. Zoomed.
I haven’t been able to identify the last dragonfly. I’d appreciate any help.
Unknown dragonfly at Chippewa Nature Center, Midland MI. Zoomed.
Damselflies are daintier than dragonflies. Some are about the size of a sewing needle, so I’ve found them hard to photograph with my big clunky lens. I’ve had some luck with Bluets.
Bluets stay in or near tall grass refuges because they are preyed upon by larger damselflies, dragonflies, other insects, and birds. To find bluets, walk slowly through tall grass near the edge of ponds or small lakes. Your movement will temporarily startle them into flying, usually only a few inches or feet, before they find another perch. Mississippi NPS.
I think this is a female American Bluet Damselfly, at Sterling State Park, Monroe MI. Zoomed.
Last is the Stream Bluet, at least I’m pretty sure that’s what this pair is.
The stream bluet (Enallagma exsulans) is a species of American bluet damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae. Its length is 29–37 mm. Many bluet species prefer ponds and lakes; the stream bluet as its name implies is most at home along moving waters. It can be found along small to medium-sized rivers. It is occasionally found at lakes too. Wikipedia.
Female Stream Bluet damselfly at Chippewa Nature Center, Midland MI. Zoomed.
Male Stream Bluet Damselfly at Chippewa Nature Center. Zoomed.
Now it’s your turn. I know I’ve seen lots of photos posted through the summer of dragonflies and damselflies. I’m hoping there’s lots of additions to the Bucket. And don’t forget the nature updates from your part of the world.
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