Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from NorthEast Odonata > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Monday, August 30 at 09:32 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Least Flycatcher,©David Sibley

30 Aug More NH goodies: S. incurvata and another A. subarctica ["PAMELA HUNT" ] 31 Aug Introduction to NEoders ["gregdysart" ] 30 Aug Sympetrum corruptum in NY ["Steve Walter" ] 24 Aug Re: My First Clubtail [Glenn Corbiere ] 24 Aug My First Clubtail ["waltw0814" ] 21 Aug Subarctic Darner in southwest NH ["PAMELA HUNT" ] 18 Aug obelisk [Elinor Osborn ] 16 Aug Great Swamp Conservancy ["blassrd" ] 16 Aug Dragonfly Theme Sign, Boothbay Harbor, ME ["waltw0814" ] 15 Aug correction to last post ["John and Sue Gregoire" ] 15 Aug [2 Attachments] ["John and Sue Gregoire" ] 14 Aug Re: Pantala Flight Today [walter chadwick ] 14 Aug RE: Pantala Flight Today ["D W Bridgehouse" ] 14 Aug Re: Pantala flights ["Dennis M. McNair" ] 13 Aug Re: Pantala Flight Today [Joshua Rose ] 13 Aug No Subject ["MARIE HEMEON" ] 13 Aug Re: Pantala Flight Today ["MARIE HEMEON" ] 13 Aug RE: Pantala Flight Today [Meena Haribal ] 13 Aug RE: Pantala Flight Today ["Dave" ] 13 Aug Pantala Flight Today [Bryan Pfeiffer ] 13 Aug obelisk [Elinor Osborn ] 12 Aug obelisk photo [1 Attachment] [Elinor Osborn ] 12 Aug Midwest Dragonflies & Mosquitoes Invasion ["waltw0814" ] 12 Aug Re: obelisk [Glenn Corbiere ] 12 Aug Report on Two Feeding Swarms; My Flickr Photos ["waltw0814" ] 12 Aug obelisk [Elinor Osborn ] 10 Aug Re: Dragonflies in the blueberry patch? [June Tveekrem ] 10 Aug Active Aeshnas ["John and Sue Gregoire" ] 9 Aug Re: Dragonflies in the blueberry patch? [Greg Sargeant ] 09 Aug Parker Woodland, Coventry, RI ... plentiful Somatochlora sp. ["Michelle St.Sauveur" ] 8 Aug Dragonflies in the blueberry patch? [Joshua Stuart Rose ] 6 Aug Southern Vt ["MARIE HEMEON" ] 6 Aug Re: Re: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight [Glenn Corbiere ] 6 Aug Re: Re: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight [Glenn Corbiere ] 6 Aug Re: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight [Chris Hill ] 6 Aug Re: Odes to Blacklight [Chris Hill ] 3 Aug Worth a look [Earle Baldwin ] 3 Aug Wonderful online guide [Annette DeGiovine-Oliveira ] 3 Aug Re: Swarms [] 02 Aug Re: Swarms [walter chadwick ] 3 Aug Wonderful online guide ["John and Sue Gregoire" ] 3 Aug Wonderful online guide ["John and Sue Gregoire" ] 02 Aug Fwd: Mites [] 02 Aug Pachy in the parking lot [] 2 Aug RE: Swarms [Meena Haribal ] 2 Aug Swarms ["John and Sue Gregoire" ] 31 Jul Re: More ID help needed [Greg Sargeant ] 31 Jul Re: More ID help needed [Joshua Stuart Rose ] 31 Jul More ID help needed [Greg Sargeant ] 29 Jul Going to the next camera level [John Smith ] 29 Jul Saddlebags & Darner [Steven Price ] 29 Jul Never assume anything. ["John and Sue Gregoire" ] 28 Jul ID Help needed [Greg Sargeant ] 28 Jul Cape Code ode sites ["fcorrada" ] 28 Jul Re: Mites [Earle Baldwin ] 28 Jul Re: Mites [Dennis Paulson ] 28 Jul RE: Mites [Meena Haribal ] 28 Jul Re: Mites ["Donna" ] 27 Jul Re: Mites [John Smith ] 27 Jul Re: Mites [Steve Hummel ] 27 Jul Re: Mites [Dennis Paulson ] 27 Jul Re: Mites [Larry de March ] 27 Jul Mites [John Smith ] 26 Jul Pantala behavior and Argia [Meena Haribal ] 26 Jul Re: Odonata survey of Idylwild WMA, Caroline Co., MD July 23, 2010 [John Smith ] 23 Jul Great Falls Discovery Center and Photo Exhibit [Glenn Corbiere ] 22 Jul Re: Ode (odd) behavior [Bob Moul ] 22 Jul Re: Ode (odd) behavior [John Smith ] 22 Jul Re: Ode (odd) behavior [Chris Hill ] 22 Jul Re: Ode (odd) behavior [John Smith ] 22 Jul Ode (odd) behavior [Bob Moul ] 22 Jul RE: Odes to Blacklight ["Karro Frost" ] 22 Jul UK Damselfly ["John and Sue Gregoire" ] 22 Jul Tramea females and Spotwinged Gliders [Meena Haribal ] 21 Jul RE: Odes to Blacklight [Joshua Stuart Rose ] 21 Jul Re: Anax longipes [Dennis Paulson ] Subject: More NH goodies: S. incurvata and another A. subarctica From: "PAMELA HUNT" <biodiva AT myfairpoint.net> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:31:44 -0400 Greetings all, The NH Dragonfly Survey "posse" was out again this weekend, focusing on northern NH. At the edge of South Bay Bog in Pittsburg, we caught a male Somatochlora incurvata (Incurvate Emerald). This is only the third known location for the state, on the heels of records in Albany (White Mountains) and Kingston (southeast) in the last decade. That's quite a latitudinal range, so I expect this species to occur elsewhere. Also present were a handful of Symetrum danae (Black Meadowhawk) - always a treat to see. On Friday, a volunteer found a new location for Aeshna subarctica (Subarctic Darner) in the Ossipee Mountains in Moultonborough (Lakes Region). On the heels of our record from the southwest the previous Saturday, we now have 3-4 sites in the state. With the season winding down, and new trips north limited, we may have finally exhausted our phenomenal season of discovery. But having said that, I've almost guaranteed that someone will find something else of note in the next two weeks! Maybe it's NH's turn for Sympetrum corruptum (Variegated Meadowhawk)... Pam Hunt Concord, NH Subject: Introduction to NEoders From: "gregdysart" <dysart AT volume3.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:53:27 -0000 Hi to all, This summer I started to focus more on Odonata by photographing and then trying to find out which speciecs of Odonata I have seen. It's been very interesting to realize the variety of the creatures in my own "back yard". Joshua Stuart Rose made me aware of this group and I look forward to following and participating in the groups' efforts. My photographs may be seen at http://dysart.zenfolio.com/odonata The photos are chronolgical. I've tried to label the ones I think I know, with a few key pointers from Josh and the BugGuide.net. Occasionally, I'll post a poor photo, to learn what the species is, like this giant I saw recently.I believe it's a Canada Darner, Aeshna canadensis. http://dysart.zenfolio.com/odonata/e29823a4a I'm sure I'll recognize a few members from cross interests in birding and in Lepidoptera. Best regards to all, Greg Dysart Natick MA Subject: Sympetrum corruptum in NY From: "Steve Walter" <swalter15 AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:03:54 -0400 At looong last, I got my first Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) for New York. This was at Lido Beach Nature Area in Nassau co., along the outer beach -- where strays would be expected. This sighting was in a salt marsh, but I don't think that means anything -- just a random spot for it to land. After 5 days of predominantly north and northwest winds, there are loads of migratory dragonflies (and butterflies) along the beach. This would have looked good on the atlas, but alas, it's one year too late. A picture is at http://www.hmana.org/steve/corruptm.htm Steve Walter Bayside, NY Subject: Re: My First Clubtail From: Glenn Corbiere <gcorbiere AT dragonhunter.net> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:05:38 -0700 (PDT) Hi Walt, Well, congratulations on your first clubtail!  There's still time to see more clubtails this season, but you may have to be in some riverine habitat to see other clubtail species this year. I'm afraid I can't help you with the Yahoo photo rules. I have no idea about their controls, but there are plenty of other free sites that offer image hosting and sharing. You might want to explore bugguide.net  I must confess I haven't tried uploading to that site myself, but I often encounter names and folks I know using it.   Good Luck, Glenn Glenn Corbiere 100 Prospect St. Chester, MA. 01011-9657 www.dragonhunter.net ________________________________ From: waltw0814 To: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Tue, August 24, 2010 5:46:45 PM Subject: [NEodes] My First Clubtail   I observed and photographed a new species for me on August 19. It was my first clubtail, a male Black-shouldered Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spinosus) resting on a rock along the NE shore of Noanet Pond in Hale Reservation, Westwood, MA. I was able to photograph it from all angles, including separate close-ups of the head/thorax and abdomen/tail. Although I was able to include one dorsal image in my album ("warbirdwalt"), three other nice images refused to display. The files were not large. Since my Yahoo! home photostream was nearly at its August upload limit, I wonder if this is why only one image uploaded to my NEodes album. Ideas anyone? I can always try again next month. Walt Subject: My First Clubtail From: "waltw0814" <waltw0814 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:46:45 -0000 I observed and photographed a new species for me on August 19. It was my first clubtail, a male Black-shouldered Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spinosus) resting on a rock along the NE shore of Noanet Pond in Hale Reservation, Westwood, MA. I was able to photograph it from all angles, including separate close-ups of the head/thorax and abdomen/tail. Although I was able to include one dorsal image in my album ("warbirdwalt"), three other nice images refused to display. The files were not large. Since my Yahoo! home photostream was nearly at its August upload limit, I wonder if this is why only one image uploaded to my NEodes album. Ideas anyone? I can always try again next month. Walt Subject: Subarctic Darner in southwest NH From: "PAMELA HUNT" <biodiva AT myfairpoint.net> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:50:53 -0400 Greetings all, Today a small group of seven odophiles from the NH Dragonfly Survey set our sites on the highland (1500' +) ponds of Pillsbury SP, located in southwest NH in Washington (Sullivan County). Although my target was Lake Emerald (Somatochlora cingulata) we ended up with something much better: a male Subarctic Darner (Aeshna subarctica). Stan McCumber caught the beast at a small drying sedge/sphagnum wetland at about 1650'. This is only the third record for the state, and the first specimen record. A photo is posted on the NHDS Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/groups/nhdragonfly/pool/with/4914479558/ We actually had seven Aeshna for the day. Others, in order of abundance, were Lake (A. eremita), Canada (A. canadensis), Variable (A. interrupta), Black-tipped (A. tuberculifera), Mottled (A. clepsydra), and Shadow (A. umbrosa). Thus continues a phenomenal season for NH dragonfly afficionados (Sedge Darner, Ringed Emerald, Striped Saddlebags...). About the only thing left for us to find is Zigzag Darner (A. sitchensis), and this is targetted for a trip to the northern tip of the state next weekend. Keep your fingers crossed for us! Pam Hunt Penacook, NH Subject: obelisk From: Elinor Osborn <elinor91 AT mac.com> Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:57:23 -0400 thanks to all who replied to my obelisk for warming question Elinor Elinor Osborn Photography PO Box 86 1286 Lost Nation Rd Craftsbury Common VT 05827 802 586-9994 elinor91 AT mac.com www.agpix.com/osborn www.elinorosbornphotography.com Subject: Great Swamp Conservancy From: "blassrd" <dangelo.jim AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:31:26 -0000 Does anyone have a list of odes for the Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota, NY? I am going there this week and wondering what might be in flight? Subject: Dragonfly Theme Sign, Boothbay Harbor, ME From: "waltw0814" <waltw0814 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:55:08 -0000 During a recent visit to Maine, I discovered and photographed a dragonfly theme sign in front of the About Face Skin Care Salon in Boothbay Harbor, advertising their "Dragonfly Massage." Please see the photo in my newly created "album" under "warbirdwalt." Subject: correction to last post From: "John and Sue Gregoire" <khmo AT empacc.net> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 10:36:50 -0400 First, I forgot to enter a subject line. Second, on viewing the pictures on the screen I realize that the predated larva has actually begun his emergence after all. His back IS slightly opened. Ah, the wonders of photography. S. G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" Subject: [2 Attachments] From: "John and Sue Gregoire" <khmo AT empacc.net> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 10:26:51 -0400 For years we have noticed emerging dragonflies that just didn't quite make it out of their larval stage. It has always been a sad mystery as to how these larvae could live for a year or so then crash on arrival into dragonflyhood. We found these today. One made it as far as opening the thorax then quit. The other was predated by an unknown entity while still in the larval stage. Both were out of the water and up on cattail stems. I examined both under the scope and found no holes in the hunchybacked one but a large hole in the other. There appeared to be nothing inside the thorax, but plenty of structure left in the abdomen. No predator in view but it could be there is something deep inside munching away. In 20/20 hindsight, I should have put it to my ear. We still wonder what kills the ones we call "hunchybacks", but maybe this other is a clue. Sue G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" Subject: Re: Pantala Flight Today From: walter chadwick <mrcnaturally AT optonline.net> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:52:55 -0400 Saw this season's first Pantala flavescens on June 29 in Yonkers, NY. Also saw Tramea lacerata on the same day and they were frequent. T. lacerata have been at Cranberry Lake Preserve, Lenoir Nature Preserve, Rockefeller State Park, The Bronx River in Westchester, the NY Botanical Garden in the Bronx, NY on 6/22 and Harriman State Park, NY on 7/06. Walter Chadwick From: Meena Haribal Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 9:17 PM To: 'NEOdes' Subject: RE: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Here in Ithaca (I guess that is northeast location) they have been flying for nearly four weeks. They were mixed in with Spotted Glider. In fact, this week I have seen only a few, but of course I have not gone looking for them either. Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 http://haribal.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dave [Dave AT dhsmall.net] Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:33 PM To: 'Bryan Pfeiffer'; 'NEOdes' Subject: RE: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Good evening I've been seeing Pantala Flavescens almost daily over the last couple weeks in all the great Ode parking lots around Central Massachusetts... Dave Small Athol, Massachusetts dave AT dhsmall.net 978-413-1772 http://dhsmall.blogspot.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bryan Pfeiffer Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:05 PM To: NEOdes Subject: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Greetings, Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider) was flying in good numbers today in downtown Montpelier, Vermont, exactly one year to the day from a similar flight in Vermont's state capital. Aren't we lucky on the 13th! Anyone else seeing Pantala in the Northeast? http://www.dailywing.net/2010/08/13/pantala-flight/ Best, Bryan Pfeiffer -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wings Environmental PO Box 121 Plainfield, VT 05667 http://www.WingsEnvironmental.com Blogging at http://www.DailyWing.net Phone: 802.454.4640 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: RE: Pantala Flight Today From: "D W Bridgehouse" <d.bridgehouse AT ns.sympatico.ca> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:20:56 -0300 I first saw P.flavescens up here in Nova Scotia on Aug 1st hiking Cape Split in Kings Co. and saw my most recent here close to home Mon the 9th. No sign of any Tramea so far this summer. We got T. lacerata a couple years ago but holding out for T. carolina if this weather holds going into last weeks of Aug. ****************** Derek W. Bridgehouse 85 Prince Albert Rd. Dartmouth, NS B2Y 1M1 CANADA d.bridgehouse AT ns.sympatico.ca "Night hath a thousand eyes." - Lyly, c.1589 From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dave Sent: August-13-10 9:34 PM To: 'Bryan Pfeiffer'; 'NEOdes' Subject: RE: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Good evening I've been seeing Pantala Flavescens almost daily over the last couple weeks in all the great Ode parking lots around Central Massachusetts... Dave Small Athol, Massachusetts dave AT dhsmall.net 978-413-1772 http://dhsmall.blogspot.com/ _____ From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bryan Pfeiffer Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:05 PM To: NEOdes Subject: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Greetings, Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider) was flying in good numbers today in downtown Montpelier, Vermont, exactly one year to the day from a similar flight in Vermont's state capital. Aren't we lucky on the 13th! Anyone else seeing Pantala in the Northeast? http://www.dailywing.net/2010/08/13/pantala-flight/ Best, Bryan Pfeiffer -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wings Environmental PO Box 121 Plainfield, VT 05667 http://www.WingsEnvironmental.com Blogging at http://www.DailyWing.net Phone: 802.454.4640 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Re: Pantala flights From: "Dennis M. McNair" <mcnair AT pitt.edu> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:58:13 -0400 While we were setting up for a music festival on hot streets and parking lots in Johnstown, PA, several Wandering Gliders (Pantala flavescens) monitored our progress. One was seen repeatedly trying to oviposit on a light blue Toyota Corolla (sorry, didn't get the year). Dennis Dennis M. McNair, PhD Dept. of Biology Executive Director, Cambria-Somerset Council Univ. of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, PA 15904 814-269-2907 Subject: Re: Pantala Flight Today From: Joshua Rose <opihi AT mindspring.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:45:57 -0400 A bit beyond this list's scope, but a friend in the LRGV of south Texas, Javier de Leon, shared a really impressive photo with me earlier today. It shows a road with trees on either side, and the sky above. The sky over this road, between the trees, is full of dragonflies which my friend said were P. flavescens. Well over 100 silhouettes are visible in the photo. Javier estimated that thousands and perhaps tens of thousands were swarming over about two miles of road. Another friend down there, David Dauphin, added that this activity had been going on in that area for several days. Interesting that the activity here and there is simultaneous, rather than what one might expect, activity up here in the north preceding it down south... Cheers, Josh On Aug 13, 2010, at 9:17 PM, Meena Haribal wrote: > Here in Ithaca (I guess that is northeast location) they have been > flying for nearly four weeks. They were mixed in with Spotted Glider. > > In fact, this week I have seen only a few, but of course I have not > gone looking for them either. > > Meena Haribal > Ithaca NY 14850 > http://haribal.org/ > > From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of > Dave [Dave AT dhsmall.net] > Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:33 PM > To: 'Bryan Pfeiffer'; 'NEOdes' > > > Good evening I've been seeing Pantala Flavescens almost daily over > the last couple weeks in all the great Ode parking lots around > Central Massachusetts... > > Dave Small > Athol, Massachusetts > dave AT dhsmall.net > 978-413-1772 > http://dhsmall.blogspot.com/ > > > From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On > Behalf Of Bryan Pfeiffer > Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:05 PM > To: NEOdes > Subject: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today > > > Greetings, > > Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider) was flying in good numbers today > in downtown Montpelier, Vermont, exactly one year to the day from a > similar flight in Vermont's state capital. Aren't we lucky on the > 13th! > > Anyone else seeing Pantala in the Northeast? > > http://www.dailywing.net/2010/08/13/pantala-flight/ > > Best, > Bryan Pfeiffer > -- > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Wings Environmental > PO Box 121 > Plainfield, VT 05667 > http://www.WingsEnvironmental.com > Blogging at http://www.DailyWing.net > Phone: 802.454.4640 > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > Subject: No Subject From: "MARIE HEMEON" <mariekevinhemeon AT msn.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:51:00 -0400 I went to Lake Luzerne today. The Upper Hudson River, NY. The Hetaerina americana are flying. Still some exuviae to collect. Argia apicalis, Boyeria sp., Dromogomphus, and Enallagma exsulans flying. Subject: Re: Pantala Flight Today From: "MARIE HEMEON" <mariekevinhemeon AT msn.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:43:12 -0400 In just about every parking lot in the Capital District, NY. ----- Original Message ----- From: Bryan Pfeiffer To: NEOdes Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:05 PM Subject: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Greetings, Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider) was flying in good numbers today in downtown Montpelier, Vermont, exactly one year to the day from a similar flight in Vermont's state capital. Aren't we lucky on the 13th! Anyone else seeing Pantala in the Northeast? http://www.dailywing.net/2010/08/13/pantala-flight/ Best, Bryan Pfeiffer -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wings Environmental PO Box 121 Plainfield, VT 05667 http://www.WingsEnvironmental.com Blogging at http://www.DailyWing.net Phone: 802.454.4640 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: RE: Pantala Flight Today From: Meena Haribal <mmh3 AT cornell.edu> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:17:56 -0400 Here in Ithaca (I guess that is northeast location) they have been flying for nearly four weeks. They were mixed in with Spotted Glider. In fact, this week I have seen only a few, but of course I have not gone looking for them either. Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 http://haribal.org/ ________________________________ From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dave [Dave AT dhsmall.net] Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:33 PM To: 'Bryan Pfeiffer'; 'NEOdes' Subject: RE: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Good evening I've been seeing Pantala Flavescens almost daily over the last couple weeks in all the great Ode parking lots around Central Massachusetts... Dave Small Athol, Massachusetts dave AT dhsmall.net 978-413-1772 http://dhsmall.blogspot.com/ ________________________________ From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bryan Pfeiffer Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:05 PM To: NEOdes Subject: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Greetings, Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider) was flying in good numbers today in downtown Montpelier, Vermont, exactly one year to the day from a similar flight in Vermont's state capital. Aren't we lucky on the 13th! Anyone else seeing Pantala in the Northeast? http://www.dailywing.net/2010/08/13/pantala-flight/ Best, Bryan Pfeiffer -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wings Environmental PO Box 121 Plainfield, VT 05667 http://www.WingsEnvironmental.com Blogging at http://www.DailyWing.net Phone: 802.454.4640 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: RE: Pantala Flight Today From: "Dave" <Dave AT dhsmall.net> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:33:48 -0400 Good evening I've been seeing Pantala Flavescens almost daily over the last couple weeks in all the great Ode parking lots around Central Massachusetts... Dave Small Athol, Massachusetts dave AT dhsmall.net 978-413-1772 http://dhsmall.blogspot.com/ _____ From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bryan Pfeiffer Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 8:05 PM To: NEOdes Subject: [NEodes] Pantala Flight Today Greetings, Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider) was flying in good numbers today in downtown Montpelier, Vermont, exactly one year to the day from a similar flight in Vermont's state capital. Aren't we lucky on the 13th! Anyone else seeing Pantala in the Northeast? http://www.dailywing.net/2010/08/13/pantala-flight/ Best, Bryan Pfeiffer -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wings Environmental PO Box 121 Plainfield, VT 05667 http://www.WingsEnvironmental.com Blogging at http://www.DailyWing.net Phone: 802.454.4640 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Pantala Flight Today From: Bryan Pfeiffer <Bryan AT WingsEnvironmental.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:05:08 -0400 Greetings, Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider) was flying in good numbers today in downtown Montpelier, Vermont, exactly one year to the day from a similar flight in Vermont's state capital. Aren't we lucky on the 13th! Anyone else seeing Pantala in the Northeast? http://www.dailywing.net/2010/08/13/pantala-flight/ Best, Bryan Pfeiffer -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wings Environmental PO Box 121 Plainfield, VT 05667 http://www.WingsEnvironmental.com Blogging at http://www.DailyWing.net Phone: 802.454.4640 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: obelisk From: Elinor Osborn <elinor91 AT mac.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:33:25 -0400 Finally found a reference to obelisking for warmth in Corbet "Dragonflies" p 286. He has a sketch of thermoregulation— both cooling and warming. Elinor Elinor Osborn Photography PO Box 86 1286 Lost Nation Rd Craftsbury Common VT 05827 802 586-9994 elinor91 AT mac.com www.agpix.com/osborn www.elinorosbornphotography.com ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEodes/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEodes/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: NEodes-digest AT yahoogroups.com NEodes-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: NEodes-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: obelisk photo [1 Attachment] From: Elinor Osborn <elinor91 AT mac.com> Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:10:32 -0400 Here is the photo of the autumn meadowhawk which was obelisking on a cool morning. Sun is coming from the right and up a bit. Elinor Elinor Osborn Photography PO Box 86 1286 Lost Nation Rd Craftsbury Common VT 05827 802 586-9994 elinor91 AT mac.com www.agpix.com/osborn www.elinorosbornphotography.com Subject: Midwest Dragonflies & Mosquitoes Invasion From: "waltw0814" <waltw0814 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:52:06 -0000 Although this news report is really beyond our region, it still should be of interest. Tonight's NBC News had a very brief segment about the record number of mosquitoes and the dragonflies in the Chicago area. I googled the following link that also includes a beautiful close-up image of a male common green darner in flight and a short video. The link is www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/100278344.html Walt Subject: Re: obelisk From: Glenn Corbiere <gcorbiere AT dragonhunter.net> Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:21:28 -0700 (PDT) Elinor, There was a lengthy thread of messages about this subject on the Odonata-L email list over the past month of so. You might want to check out this discussion on the Odonata-L archives.  I think it was in July: https://mailweb.ups.edu/pipermail/odonata-l/ I can give you a brief recap - the discussion was about purposes of Obelisking type postures.  The woman who started the discussion was of the opinion that some of the posturing she witnessed was for sexual display purposes.  I recall that there wasn't too many comments along that line, but the discussion mainly ended up centering on the thermo-regulatory aspects of obelisking type postures.  The general consensus was that usually the purpose of obelisking was to minimize the profile that is absorbing the suns rays to avoid overheating.  Some thought, including myself, that if that was true it was likely that similar postioning to maximize the heating effect of the sun must also take place. It seemed like most folks who commented on this thought that, while dragonflies did position themselves to maximize radiant heat absorption, it was more likely that they would position themselves favorably for absorption, although not with a similar posturing, that is to say not pointing the abdomen skyward and perpindicular to the suns rays, but rather just postioning their body more in the normal manner but facing the sun. When I did look at the video that was taken by the woman who asked the original question (her name was Martha Smith, if I recall correctly), I could see why she thought it was for something other than for thermo-regulation.  More specifically, it just did not look like the typical obelisking behavior that I have seen. I hope this is helpful to you. Glenn   Glenn Corbiere 100 Prospect St. Chester, MA. 01011-9657 www.dragonhunter.net ________________________________ From: Elinor Osborn To: NEodes Sent: Thu, August 12, 2010 8:16:29 AM Subject: [NEodes] obelisk   I'm looking for info on an autumn meadowhawk using the obelisk position on a cool morning. Abdomen was raised to catch the low sun angle. Only references I have found so far, say that obelisking points the abdomen toward the sun to reduce its surface area to heat. While here it looked to be collecting heat. Thanks Elinor Elinor Osborn Photography PO Box 86 1286 Lost Nation Rd Craftsbury Common VT 05827 802 586-9994 elinor91 AT mac.com www.agpix.com/osborn www.elinorosbornphotography.com Subject: Report on Two Feeding Swarms; My Flickr Photos From: "waltw0814" <waltw0814 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:07:25 -0000 I recently rejoined NEodes after an absence here of 5 years. My dragonfly images can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/warbirdwalt/sets/72157624691525188 My girlfriend's gardened back yard in Medfield, MA, continues to see feeding swarms in late summer. (See my 8/15/05 post "Medfield, MA, Feeding Frenzy.") On July 24, just before sunset and after an afternoon thunderstorm (also very humid), a swarm of possible emeralds flew at two levels. One patroled at high altitude above the paved driveway and adjacent road, all the while flying in squarish patterns. The other group moved rapidly back and forth at low height within a 50 x 20-foot space bordered by a rectangular privet hedge. A 12 x 6-foot flower garden plot occupied the center of this space. Due to the rapid speeds involved without any landings, I was unable to positively identify the species. Then, on July 30, while we were exploring Maine's Monhegan Island, we observed a feeding swarm (again species unknown) confined to the space on the shady side of an evergreen tree. Walt www.flickr.com/photos/warbirdwalt Subject: obelisk From: Elinor Osborn <elinor91 AT mac.com> Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:16:29 -0400 I'm looking for info on an autumn meadowhawk using the obelisk position on a cool morning. Abdomen was raised to catch the low sun angle. Only references I have found so far, say that obelisking points the abdomen toward the sun to reduce its surface area to heat. While here it looked to be collecting heat. Thanks Elinor Elinor Osborn Photography PO Box 86 1286 Lost Nation Rd Craftsbury Common VT 05827 802 586-9994 elinor91 AT mac.com www.agpix.com/osborn www.elinorosbornphotography.com Subject: Re: Dragonflies in the blueberry patch? From: June Tveekrem <damselfly AT southernspreadwing.com> Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:44:34 -0400 Fun, isn't it? I too have found good dragonflies in blueberry patches (in northern Minnesota). What amazes me about the pick-your-own farm you visited is that the owners evidently came up with netting that keeps out the strongest non-human picker: black bears! June On 8/8/2010 9:43 PM, Joshua Stuart Rose wrote: > I have run into odonates in all sorts of places, but was *not* > expecting them yesterday, when I went out with the family to a > pick-your-own blueberry farm! The rows of blueberry bushes were > enclosed by netting to restrict the pick-your-own aspect of the farm > to only the human visitors. I am guessing that the dragons must have > wandered in the door, then been unable to find it again to leave. I > wandered the perimeter, grabbed the dragons by hand (sometimes using > my hat to confine them briefly), and escorted them out, some with > stops for photography first. We rescued five dragons of four species: > two Common Green Darners (Anax junius), one female/immature > meadowhawk of some sort (Sympetrum sp.), one Clamp-tipped Emerald > (Somatochlora tenebrosa) which dazzled all of us with its eyes, and > one darner which I have tentatively ID'd from my photos as a female > Green-striped (Aeshna verticalis). Not a bad haul for a blueberry > patch! Subject: Active Aeshnas From: "John and Sue Gregoire" <khmo AT empacc.net> Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:29:54 -0400 A Blue Dasher on a Blue Berry! Love it! Yesterday was an exciting day. Our local National Forest sits atop the high ground between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Spent the afternoon looking for Aeshnas (Mosaic Darners) and found plenty! Most of the day was spent bushwhacking fields and forest meadows, but it was pretty quiet until about 1500 hrs. As I approached a small pond ringed with Bur-reed I could hear rustling dragonfly wings before I rounded the bend. Dozens of female A. canadensis and tuberculifera were exploring and ovipositing there. They jostled for position among ideal stems, oviposited, then jumped straight up to take a look around and fly off to another. It was loud (as far as dragonfly sound goes), raucous and beautiful. From that time on I saw Aeshnas everywhere I went. Mostly in groups of 5 to 10, over the dirt roads, in the meadows, in the pastures, at the campgrounds, everywhere but deep woods. As I was heading home, I crossed an intersection with an inholding of a private house and yard. In the carefully mown lawn of that yard there were hundreds of Aeshnas swirling about just inches off the grass and up to about 10 feet. Up, down and around, the perfect swarm! It was gorgeous! Being private property I couldn't try to catch any which would have been very easy, but I was content to just watch them. Too wonderful to disturb. I was late getting home, but had a good excuse! Right after that lovely swarm I found a female Somatochlora williamsoni (Williamson's emerald) ovipositing in a roadside ditch. Tippy-top of the hill, pasture on one side, forest on the other, dirt road in between. Cloudy, hot and humid all day. I'm still on cloud nine. Sue G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" Subject: Re: Dragonflies in the blueberry patch? From: Greg Sargeant <sargeguy.ri AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 22:44:44 -0400 Here are a couple berry picking highlights: http://picasaweb.google.com/sargeguy.RI/Dragonflies#5498185666273719602 http://picasaweb.google.com/sargeguy.RI/Dragonflies#5497683901835898226 Greg Sargeant Providence On Sun, Aug 8, 2010 at 9:43 PM, Joshua Stuart Rose wrote: > > > Howdy folks, > > Throwing one more sighting into the odes-at-lights pile, had a Shadow > Darner (Aeshna umbrosa) show up at my porch light on Monday evening. > > I have run into odonates in all sorts of places, but was *not* expecting > them yesterday, when I went out with the family to a pick-your-own blueberry > farm! The rows of blueberry bushes were enclosed by netting to restrict the > pick-your-own aspect of the farm to only the human visitors. I am guessing > that the dragons must have wandered in the door, then been unable to find it > again to leave. I wandered the perimeter, grabbed the dragons by hand > (sometimes using my hat to confine them briefly), and escorted them out, > some with stops for photography first. We rescued five dragons of four > species: two Common Green Darners (Anax junius), one female/immature > meadowhawk of some sort (Sympetrum sp.), one Clamp-tipped Emerald > (Somatochlora tenebrosa) which dazzled all of us with its eyes, and one > darner which I have tentatively ID'd from my photos as a female > Green-striped (Aeshna verticalis). Not a bad haul for a blueberry patch! > > The farm in question is Bird Haven in Southampton, if anyone else wants to > pick your own blueberries, or pick your own dragonflies for that matter: > http://www.birdhavenblueberry.info/ > A small river runs right past the farm, probably the root of its dragon > diversity. > > This morning we went to Mount Toby Friends Meeting. While the wife and kids > were inside being religious, I was out looking for critters. The large > beaver swamp behind the meetinghouse is shockingly low; I was able to walk > all the way across it without getting my socks wet! Not sure if this year is > really that dry, or if maybe the beaver dam downstream gave way... A few > mosaic darners here, not able to ID them. Twelve-spotted and Slaty Skimmers > (Libellula pulchella and incesta) and more meadowhawks, and lots of > forktails (Ischnura spp.) and spreadwings (Lestes spp.). > > Lastly, this afternoon, we walked along Amethyst Brook and stopped at a > nice swimming hole. The Boyerias are finally out; saw two individuals at the > swimming hole, others in 1 or 2 other locations along the brook, prowling > along the shadowy creek edges as usual. > > Cheers, > > Josh > > Joshua Stuart Rose > opihi AT mindspring.com > Amherst MA > > http://www.facebook.com/opihi > http://bugguide.net/user/view/2399 > > > Subject: Parker Woodland, Coventry, RI ... plentiful Somatochlora sp. From: "Michelle St.Sauveur" <bittern AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:19:03 -0000 Sunday at Parker Woodland I had AT 8 Somatochlora species flying between 9-10:30 AM. I identified both tenebrosa and linearis and was fortunate to find a cooperative male linearis. It landed at eye level several times and allowed a close approach for photos using a macro lens. Photos can be seen here .... http://picasaweb.google.com/michellelynnsts/RecentPhotos3# Michelle St.Sauveur Coventry, RI Subject: Dragonflies in the blueberry patch? From: Joshua Stuart Rose <opihi AT mindspring.com> Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2010 21:43:58 -0400 (EDT) Howdy folks, Throwing one more sighting into the odes-at-lights pile, had a Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa) show up at my porch light on Monday evening. I have run into odonates in all sorts of places, but was *not* expecting them yesterday, when I went out with the family to a pick-your-own blueberry farm! The rows of blueberry bushes were enclosed by netting to restrict the pick-your-own aspect of the farm to only the human visitors. I am guessing that the dragons must have wandered in the door, then been unable to find it again to leave. I wandered the perimeter, grabbed the dragons by hand (sometimes using my hat to confine them briefly), and escorted them out, some with stops for photography first. We rescued five dragons of four species: two Common Green Darners (Anax junius), one female/immature meadowhawk of some sort (Sympetrum sp.), one Clamp-tipped Emerald (Somatochlora tenebrosa) which dazzled all of us with its eyes, and one darner which I have tentatively ID'd from my photos as a female Green-striped (Aeshna verticalis). Not a bad haul for a blueberry patch! The farm in question is Bird Haven in Southampton, if anyone else wants to pick your own blueberries, or pick your own dragonflies for that matter: http://www.birdhavenblueberry.info/ A small river runs right past the farm, probably the root of its dragon diversity. This morning we went to Mount Toby Friends Meeting. While the wife and kids were inside being religious, I was out looking for critters. The large beaver swamp behind the meetinghouse is shockingly low; I was able to walk all the way across it without getting my socks wet! Not sure if this year is really that dry, or if maybe the beaver dam downstream gave way... A few mosaic darners here, not able to ID them. Twelve-spotted and Slaty Skimmers (Libellula pulchella and incesta) and more meadowhawks, and lots of forktails (Ischnura spp.) and spreadwings (Lestes spp.). Lastly, this afternoon, we walked along Amethyst Brook and stopped at a nice swimming hole. The Boyerias are finally out; saw two individuals at the swimming hole, others in 1 or 2 other locations along the brook, prowling along the shadowy creek edges as usual. Cheers, Josh Joshua Stuart Rose opihi AT mindspring.com Amherst MA http://www.facebook.com/opihi http://bugguide.net/user/view/2399 Subject: Southern Vt From: "MARIE HEMEON" <mariekevinhemeon AT msn.com> Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 19:24:11 -0400 with news of a Giant Swallowtail in Vt I decided to spend some time in Southern Vt. I found a southerner of a different sort. At the Bennington dump I found a Tramea carolina patrolling the retention pond. I also went to the south stream access where I had seen numerous Tramea lacerata this spring. There were 3 males and 1 tandem pair of T. carolina here. I guess that hot humid weather was good for something. Would any eggs produced have time to mature this season? Kevin Subject: Re: Re: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight From: Glenn Corbiere <gcorbiere AT dragonhunter.net> Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 12:26:56 -0700 (PDT) Chris, Nice going!   Not only a beautiful little piece of history there, but also a tip on locating S. townesi, maybe once again in South Carolina, and perhaps other places as well. Then someone may be penning...... An Ode to Blacklights. Glenn Glenn Corbiere 100 Prospect St. Chester, MA. 01011-9657 www.dragonhunter.net ________________________________ From: Chris Hill To: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com; dragonflies List Sent: Fri, August 6, 2010 2:59:34 PM Subject: [se-odonata] Re: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight   On Jul 17, 2010, at 12:28 PM, Dave wrote: > > Greetings, > > I have had 5 individuals of 3 species of Ode this week mesmerized by > the black light in my nightly search for moths Well, not blacklight, but on the general theme of finding elusive odonates at night with lights, I found this passage in the article* that originally described Townes' Clubtail, Stylurus townesi: The specimen mas taken in Greenville Go., South Carolina on the South Saluda River a few miles below the reservoir at Table Rock Mountain. The river here is about 25 ft. wide, 18 to 4 ft. deep, and moderately swift. Except for the fact that it is somewhat siltier, and warmer from its exposure to the sun in the reservoir, this river presents the same appearance and ecological situations as that stretch of the North Saluda River on which Mr. Williamson collected Stylurus laurae. l I was wading down the river at night with a lantern in my hand when the specimen lit on my bathing suit just above the water. That's the type specimen, and the account there is from Mr. Townes. As far as I know, it has never been recorded in South Carolina since, so perhaps we South Carolinian odonatists (we few) are spending to little time wading rivers at night with lanterns. Chris *Gloyd, LK, 1936. Three new North American species of Gomphinae (Odonata). Mich. Mus. Zool. Occ. Papers 326: 1-18. ************************************************************************ Christopher E. Hill Biology Department Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC 29528-1954 chill AT coastal.edu http://ww2.coastal.edu/chill/chill.htm If you don't know the answer, no question is stupid. - Michael Price Subject: Re: Re: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight From: Glenn Corbiere <gcorbiere AT dragonhunter.net> Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 12:26:56 -0700 (PDT) Chris, Nice going!   Not only a beautiful little piece of history there, but also a tip on locating S. townesi, maybe once again in South Carolina, and perhaps other places as well. Then someone may be penning...... An Ode to Blacklights. Glenn Glenn Corbiere 100 Prospect St. Chester, MA. 01011-9657 www.dragonhunter.net ________________________________ From: Chris Hill To: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com; dragonflies List Sent: Fri, August 6, 2010 2:59:34 PM Subject: [se-odonata] Re: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight   On Jul 17, 2010, at 12:28 PM, Dave wrote: > > Greetings, > > I have had 5 individuals of 3 species of Ode this week mesmerized by > the black light in my nightly search for moths Well, not blacklight, but on the general theme of finding elusive odonates at night with lights, I found this passage in the article* that originally described Townes' Clubtail, Stylurus townesi: The specimen mas taken in Greenville Go., South Carolina on the South Saluda River a few miles below the reservoir at Table Rock Mountain. The river here is about 25 ft. wide, 18 to 4 ft. deep, and moderately swift. Except for the fact that it is somewhat siltier, and warmer from its exposure to the sun in the reservoir, this river presents the same appearance and ecological situations as that stretch of the North Saluda River on which Mr. Williamson collected Stylurus laurae. l I was wading down the river at night with a lantern in my hand when the specimen lit on my bathing suit just above the water. That's the type specimen, and the account there is from Mr. Townes. As far as I know, it has never been recorded in South Carolina since, so perhaps we South Carolinian odonatists (we few) are spending to little time wading rivers at night with lanterns. Chris *Gloyd, LK, 1936. Three new North American species of Gomphinae (Odonata). Mich. Mus. Zool. Occ. Papers 326: 1-18. ************************************************************************ Christopher E. Hill Biology Department Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC 29528-1954 chill AT coastal.edu http://ww2.coastal.edu/chill/chill.htm If you don't know the answer, no question is stupid. - Michael Price Subject: Re: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight From: Chris Hill <chill AT coastal.edu> Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 14:59:34 -0400 On Jul 17, 2010, at 12:28 PM, Dave wrote: > > Greetings, > > I have had 5 individuals of 3 species of Ode this week mesmerized by > the black light in my nightly search for moths Well, not blacklight, but on the general theme of finding elusive odonates at night with lights, I found this passage in the article* that originally described Townes' Clubtail, Stylurus townesi: The specimen mas taken in Greenville Go., South Carolina on the South Saluda River a few miles below the reservoir at Table Rock Mountain. The river here is about 25 ft. wide, 18 to 4 ft. deep, and moderately swift. Except for the fact that it is somewhat siltier, and warmer from its exposure to the sun in the reservoir, this river presents the same appearance and ecological situations as that stretch of the North Saluda River on which Mr. Williamson collected Stylurus laurae. l I was wading down the river at night with a lantern in my hand when the specimen lit on my bathing suit just above the water. That's the type specimen, and the account there is from Mr. Townes. As far as I know, it has never been recorded in South Carolina since, so perhaps we South Carolinian odonatists (we few) are spending to little time wading rivers at night with lanterns. Chris *Gloyd, LK, 1936. Three new North American species of Gomphinae (Odonata). Mich. Mus. Zool. Occ. Papers 326: 1-18. ************************************************************************ Christopher E. Hill Biology Department Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC 29528-1954 chill AT coastal.edu http://ww2.coastal.edu/chill/chill.htm If you don't know the answer, no question is stupid. - Michael Price Subject: Re: Odes to Blacklight From: Chris Hill <chill AT coastal.edu> Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 14:59:34 -0400 On Jul 17, 2010, at 12:28 PM, Dave wrote: > > Greetings, > > I have had 5 individuals of 3 species of Ode this week mesmerized by > the black light in my nightly search for moths Well, not blacklight, but on the general theme of finding elusive odonates at night with lights, I found this passage in the article* that originally described Townes' Clubtail, Stylurus townesi: The specimen mas taken in Greenville Go., South Carolina on the South Saluda River a few miles below the reservoir at Table Rock Mountain. The river here is about 25 ft. wide, 18 to 4 ft. deep, and moderately swift. Except for the fact that it is somewhat siltier, and warmer from its exposure to the sun in the reservoir, this river presents the same appearance and ecological situations as that stretch of the North Saluda River on which Mr. Williamson collected Stylurus laurae. l I was wading down the river at night with a lantern in my hand when the specimen lit on my bathing suit just above the water. That's the type specimen, and the account there is from Mr. Townes. As far as I know, it has never been recorded in South Carolina since, so perhaps we South Carolinian odonatists (we few) are spending to little time wading rivers at night with lanterns. Chris *Gloyd, LK, 1936. Three new North American species of Gomphinae (Odonata). Mich. Mus. Zool. Occ. Papers 326: 1-18. ************************************************************************ Christopher E. Hill Biology Department Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC 29528-1954 chill AT coastal.edu http://ww2.coastal.edu/chill/chill.htm If you don't know the answer, no question is stupid. - Michael Price Subject: Worth a look From: Earle Baldwin <earlebaldwin AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 20:08:00 -0400 http://www.daylife.com/photo/0b1S67b0npcBr?q=Maine -- http://www.myspace.com/celt_goshawk Subject: Wonderful online guide From: Annette DeGiovine-Oliveira <graphicartist04 AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 09:58:10 -0400 Great Guide! Subject: Re: Swarms From: fred.saintours AT comcast.net Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 13:32:02 +0000 Meadows will be active with swarms over the next few weeks as large hatches of small yellow subterranean ants take to the air. I've seen them so thick as to appear as haze, and when the dragons find them the small ant wings shower down like snow. As said, the swarms are mostly of the genus Aeshna, with Anax and Somatochloras also abundant and a few others in the mix. Fred S. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry -----Original Message----- From: walter chadwick Sender: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:13:41 To: Meena Haribal; NEOdes Subject: Re: [NEodes] Swarms Hi Meena, Meadows as you discovered are great places for finding odes. Meadows are one habitat I look for when ode hunting. At Harriman State Park the meadow at the Reeves Visitor Center is a productive site as is the meadow off of Stony Brook Trail with the gas transmission line. Closer to home the meadow at Lenoir Nature Preserve in Yonkers has yielded some interesting odes. Walter Chadwick From: Meena Haribal Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 1:51 PM To: NEOdes Subject: RE: [NEodes] Swarms Hi all, I took a lunch walk in Cornell Arboretum. Just at the Arboretum entrance from Caldwell Road, the Plantations has stopped mowing lawns and lets grass grow with some paths maintained. Thanks to recession! That is good news for swarming odes! Today I saw again about 100+ odes. Major odes (50%) were Green Darners, 30 % Aeshna mostly looked like Green and Canada Darners, a couple of them were co-operative enough to come down land close to me. One even let me go as close as 3 inches with my coolpix. Rest seemed mixed with Panatala, Skimmers, meadowhawks and who knows what else. Plus there were many Green Darners and a few other darners resting and were disturbed as I walked in the grass. Now I have learnt how to find odes in this season! They are in the meadows and grasses! Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf -----Original Message----- From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of John and Sue Gregoire Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 10:48 AM To: NEOdes Subject: [NEodes] Swarms I did some reading up on Aeshna feeding swarms and found a link I'd like to share. Meena's recent post of seeing one reminded me that the season for this behavior is just beginning. Here's the link from Odenews: http://www.odenews.org/onv5n2.htm#Dragonfly Swarms of Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary Meanwhile the only swarm I have seen was one I heard before I saw it. Was watching a Pantala at a tiny forested pond when a large swarm of honeybees approched from the east and went right over my head. It was cool to hear and watch them. I know they are in trouble these days. Otherwise things are pretty slow. I think the early heat this year pushed the season ahead of normal and is now winding down early as well. I also think that the early heat encouraged long distance fliers such as Pantala, Tramea and Anax to launch early and go far, giving them the opportunity to fill our environs. Great that we can talk to each other and share these sightings from all over! Sue G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links Subject: Re: Swarms From: walter chadwick <mrcnaturally AT optonline.net> Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:13:41 -0400 Hi Meena, Meadows as you discovered are great places for finding odes. Meadows are one habitat I look for when ode hunting. At Harriman State Park the meadow at the Reeves Visitor Center is a productive site as is the meadow off of Stony Brook Trail with the gas transmission line. Closer to home the meadow at Lenoir Nature Preserve in Yonkers has yielded some interesting odes. Walter Chadwick From: Meena Haribal Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 1:51 PM To: NEOdes Subject: RE: [NEodes] Swarms Hi all, I took a lunch walk in Cornell Arboretum. Just at the Arboretum entrance from Caldwell Road, the Plantations has stopped mowing lawns and lets grass grow with some paths maintained. Thanks to recession! That is good news for swarming odes! Today I saw again about 100+ odes. Major odes (50%) were Green Darners, 30 % Aeshna mostly looked like Green and Canada Darners, a couple of them were co-operative enough to come down land close to me. One even let me go as close as 3 inches with my coolpix. Rest seemed mixed with Panatala, Skimmers, meadowhawks and who knows what else. Plus there were many Green Darners and a few other darners resting and were disturbed as I walked in the grass. Now I have learnt how to find odes in this season! They are in the meadows and grasses! Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf -----Original Message----- From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of John and Sue Gregoire Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 10:48 AM To: NEOdes Subject: [NEodes] Swarms I did some reading up on Aeshna feeding swarms and found a link I'd like to share. Meena's recent post of seeing one reminded me that the season for this behavior is just beginning. Here's the link from Odenews: http://www.odenews.org/onv5n2.htm#Dragonfly Swarms of Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary Meanwhile the only swarm I have seen was one I heard before I saw it. Was watching a Pantala at a tiny forested pond when a large swarm of honeybees approched from the east and went right over my head. It was cool to hear and watch them. I know they are in trouble these days. Otherwise things are pretty slow. I think the early heat this year pushed the season ahead of normal and is now winding down early as well. I also think that the early heat encouraged long distance fliers such as Pantala, Tramea and Anax to launch early and go far, giving them the opportunity to fill our environs. Great that we can talk to each other and share these sightings from all over! Sue G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links Subject: Wonderful online guide From: "John and Sue Gregoire" <khmo AT empacc.net> Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 08:36:18 -0400 We want to share a new on-line guide created by Marla Garrison. It is intended as a beginner guide to local Chicago area damsels and meant to assist their DMN (Dragonfly Monitoring Network) citizen scientists for i.d. help in the underreported zygoptera. That said, we think you will find it a remarkable piece of work with terrific photography and applicable to other areas of the country. http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/plantguides/damselflies Sue and John -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" _______________________________________________ Odonata-l mailing list Odonata-l AT listhost.ups.edu https://mailweb.ups.edu/mailman/listinfo/odonata-l Subject: Wonderful online guide From: "John and Sue Gregoire" <khmo AT empacc.net> Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 08:36:18 -0400 We want to share a new on-line guide created by Marla Garrison. It is intended as a beginner guide to local Chicago area damsels and meant to assist their DMN (Dragonfly Monitoring Network) citizen scientists for i.d. help in the underreported zygoptera. That said, we think you will find it a remarkable piece of work with terrific photography and applicable to other areas of the country. http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/plantguides/damselflies Sue and John -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" Subject: Fwd: Mites From: MariaAA AT aol.com Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:14:35 -0400 oops...I meant to send this to the list, not specifically Earle (sorry, Earle!)... -----Original Message----- I too agree with what Meena mentioned--the aquatic mite life cycles are AMAZINGLY complex, not well studied, and evolutionarily complicated. I LOVE to see an ode wearing a bunch of those colorful mites, as it is such an incredible ecological phenomenon. In the 12 or so years that I've been looking at odes, I have noticed mite loads solely on libellulids (skimmers)...besides damsels, does anyone regularly see them on other families? (disclaimer: the ones I've been most up-close-and-personal with have been predominantly libellulids) Maria -----Original Message----- From: Earle Baldwin To: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wed, Jul 28, 2010 10:29 am Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites One thing Meena touched on. Mites are worthy of close attention. They have coexisted with our dragonflies better than we have. The more I know about mites the more value they have Sent from my iPod Subject: Pachy in the parking lot From: MariaAA AT aol.com Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:04:46 -0400 This afternoon I watched a Pachydiplax longipennis (Blue Dasher) repeatedly "ovipositing" on both the roof and hood of a dark blue car in a parking lot (Arlington, MA). Maria Subject: RE: Swarms From: Meena Haribal <mmh3 AT cornell.edu> Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 13:51:48 -0400 Hi all, I took a lunch walk in Cornell Arboretum. Just at the Arboretum entrance from Caldwell Road, the Plantations has stopped mowing lawns and lets grass grow with some paths maintained. Thanks to recession! That is good news for swarming odes! Today I saw again about 100+ odes. Major odes (50%) were Green Darners, 30 % Aeshna mostly looked like Green and Canada Darners, a couple of them were co-operative enough to come down land close to me. One even let me go as close as 3 inches with my coolpix. Rest seemed mixed with Panatala, Skimmers, meadowhawks and who knows what else. Plus there were many Green Darners and a few other darners resting and were disturbed as I walked in the grass. Now I have learnt how to find odes in this season! They are in the meadows and grasses! Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf -----Original Message----- From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of John and Sue Gregoire Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 10:48 AM To: NEOdes Subject: [NEodes] Swarms I did some reading up on Aeshna feeding swarms and found a link I'd like to share. Meena's recent post of seeing one reminded me that the season for this behavior is just beginning. Here's the link from Odenews: http://www.odenews.org/onv5n2.htm#Dragonfly Swarms of Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary Meanwhile the only swarm I have seen was one I heard before I saw it. Was watching a Pantala at a tiny forested pond when a large swarm of honeybees approched from the east and went right over my head. It was cool to hear and watch them. I know they are in trouble these days. Otherwise things are pretty slow. I think the early heat this year pushed the season ahead of normal and is now winding down early as well. I also think that the early heat encouraged long distance fliers such as Pantala, Tramea and Anax to launch early and go far, giving them the opportunity to fill our environs. Great that we can talk to each other and share these sightings from all over! Sue G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links Subject: Swarms From: "John and Sue Gregoire" <khmo AT empacc.net> Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010 10:48:20 -0400 I did some reading up on Aeshna feeding swarms and found a link I'd like to share. Meena's recent post of seeing one reminded me that the season for this behavior is just beginning. Here's the link from Odenews: http://www.odenews.org/onv5n2.htm#Dragonfly Swarms of Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary Meanwhile the only swarm I have seen was one I heard before I saw it. Was watching a Pantala at a tiny forested pond when a large swarm of honeybees approched from the east and went right over my head. It was cool to hear and watch them. I know they are in trouble these days. Otherwise things are pretty slow. I think the early heat this year pushed the season ahead of normal and is now winding down early as well. I also think that the early heat encouraged long distance fliers such as Pantala, Tramea and Anax to launch early and go far, giving them the opportunity to fill our environs. Great that we can talk to each other and share these sightings from all over! Sue G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" Subject: Re: More ID help needed From: Greg Sargeant <sargeguy.ri AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 06:48:53 -0400 Thanks! Subject: Re: More ID help needed From: Joshua Stuart Rose <opihi AT mindspring.com> Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:03:50 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: More ID help needed From: Greg Sargeant <sargeguy.ri AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:05:09 -0400 We get a lot of lightly marked Calico Pennants around here but in my (limited) experience I have never seen one with no dark marks. Also this individual seemed larger than a typical Calico Pennant, which leaves me wondering if it isn't a Carolina Saddlebags, a species with which I have no experience. Can someone set me straight? The photo was backlit and has been lightened in an attempt to see more detail. http://picasaweb.google.com/sargeguy.RI/Dragonflies#5499830941012360802 Thanks Greg Sargeant Providence, RI Subject: Going to the next camera level From: John Smith <dreg59usa AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:12:33 -0700 (PDT) Greetings I am currently using a Canon A510 "point-and-shoot" (3.2MP) and achieve nice detail, but only when I can get 3-6" away from damsels and dragons. I'd like to keep that level of detail but increase the distance to maybe between say 2' and 6' to have a better chance of the subjects staying put. I am thinking of moving up to an entry level DSLR...likely a Canon. Lens nomenclature can be on the confusing side. I've tried to read up but am concerned that articles and such may not be precise in the words used to describe lens. If any of the Canon users here uses a DSLR and had to pick just one lens, which would it be? I'm guessing it would be one of what Canon groups as "telephoto zoom" as opposed to just "telephoto" or "macro"? Thanks in advance for any guidance! Subject: Saddlebags & Darner From: Steven Price <eggshapedcat AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:56:26 -0700 (PDT) I recently saw two Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) at a small pond in Devens, MA.  This morning, when I went to check to see of they were still hanging around, I found a COMET DARNER (Anax longipes) flying around the same pond.  This pond is about an 8 minute drive from the pond in Shirley where Tom Murray discovered 2 Comet Darners a while back, Steve Subject: Never assume anything. From: "John and Sue Gregoire" <khmo AT empacc.net> Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:15:15 -0400 Recently I put in many hours standing in the middle of a remote pond deep in a woodland trying to net a pesky little Corduliid that was behaving like a Helocordulia. It was tiny, zipping around out in the open about 2 inches off the water, agressively attacking others, and never hovering or coming close to shore. It was behaving unlike anything I have ever noticed at a pond before. I was sure it was something exotic and told everyone who would listen. After about 5 hours, I did net one and it turned out to be a female Corduia shurtleffii! (American emerald!) Then there are the Pantala hymanea Meena has been seeing in Ithaca. I have probably seen them too, but passed them off as flavescens as that's what I once caught. Dumb. So the lesson: Always expect the unexpected. That's what makes this so much fun, right? Glad there is plenty of summer left. Sue G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" Subject: ID Help needed From: Greg Sargeant <sargeguy.ri AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:03:34 -0400 Is this a Needham's Skimmer? http://picasaweb.google.com/sargeguy.RI/Dragonflies#5499092001697274482 Thanks Greg Sargeant Providence, RI Subject: Cape Code ode sites From: "fcorrada" <fcorrada AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:07:44 -0000 Hi group, This weekend I will be vacationing in Cape Cod and will be staying near Hyannis. Any recommendations of areas to look for odes and butterflies. I plan to travel north to Provincetown and travel along most of the Cape (5 days). Thank you in advance. Fernando B. Corrada S. Burlington,VT Subject: Re: Mites From: Earle Baldwin <earlebaldwin AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:29:44 -0400 One thing Meena touched on. Mites are worthy of close attention. They have coexisted with our dragonflies better than we have. The more I know about mites the more value they have Sent from my iPod Subject: Re: Mites From: Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:07:09 -0700 Hello, all. Donna, you are not "harming wildlife." I would like to reiterate that there is nothing more natural in the dragonfly world than a load of mites, ranging from one or two up to a few dozen at the most extreme. There's nothing we can do to make that better or worse, and I would hope that dragonfly lovers would accept mites parasitizing dragonflies just as we accept birds eating dragonflies and dragonflies eating flies, beetles, butterflies, etc. Dennis On Jul 28, 2010, at 4:36 AM, Donna wrote: > > I have the same problem - saw four dashers over the weekend and two of them were absolutely loaded with mites. Anything that can be done to help them? I have a small man made pond in the yard and I'd hate to think it was the source of the infestation - that something I put in to help wildlife is actually harming it... > > Donna Lorello > Branford > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: John Smith > To: NEOdes AT yahoogroups.com > Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 11:32 PM > Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites > > > I know it sounds silly but in hindsight I wish I could've caught him and used a tweezer or something to rid him of those things...I may have nightmares about this :( > > --- On Tue, 7/27/10, Steve Hummel wrote: > > From: Steve Hummel > Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites > To: "John Smith" > Cc: NEOdes AT yahoogroups.com > Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 11:15 PM > > > > Water mites are extremely common on dragonflies and damselflies. Sometimes just a couple, other times there can be dozens. > Steve Hummel > shummel AT iowatelecom.net > > > > On Jul 27, 2010, at 9:40 PM, John Smith wrote: > > Hello folks. > > I was casually taking photo's of a blue dasher at my backyard pond and 'saw' something like bumps along the bottom edge of the abdomen. > My eyesight isn't that great and my point-and-shoot view finder isn't all that big so I didn't give it much thought... > > Long story short, when I finally opened the files on my computer and got a close look it appears that this poor fellow was infested underneath with mites. I didn't want to post a picture as I thought it would be disturbing to some (I hate to look at it myself...they've become like pets to me!). > > Has anyone come across this before? > > John > > > > > > > ----- Dennis Paulson 1724 NE 98 St. Seattle, WA 98115 206-528-1382 dennispaulson AT comcast.net Subject: RE: Mites From: Meena Haribal <mmh3 AT cornell.edu> Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:47:02 -0400 Hello all, Last year during NEDSA meeting, on one of the ponds in New Hampshire, someone found one Blue Dasher male, which was totally covered with mites except for the eyes. It looks like Blue dashers are more prone to mite infestation at least based on the recent e-mails. I just looked up literature and there are a few studies on mites and odonates. But definitely seems like a subject worth studying. Mite biology is fascinating. Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Donna Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 7:36 AM To: NEOdes AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites I have the same problem - saw four dashers over the weekend and two of them were absolutely loaded with mites. Anything that can be done to help them? I have a small man made pond in the yard and I'd hate to think it was the source of the infestation - that something I put in to help wildlife is actually harming it... Donna Lorello Branford ----- Original Message ----- From: John Smith To: NEOdes AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 11:32 PM Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites I know it sounds silly but in hindsight I wish I could've caught him and used a tweezer or something to rid him of those things...I may have nightmares about this :( --- On Tue, 7/27/10, Steve Hummel > wrote: From: Steve Hummel > Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites To: "John Smith" Cc: NEOdes AT yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 11:15 PM Water mites are extremely common on dragonflies and damselflies. Sometimes just a couple, other times there can be dozens. Steve Hummel shummel AT iowatelecom.net On Jul 27, 2010, at 9:40 PM, John Smith wrote: Hello folks. I was casually taking photo's of a blue dasher at my backyard pond and 'saw' something like bumps along the bottom edge of the abdomen. My eyesight isn't that great and my point-and-shoot view finder isn't all that big so I didn't give it much thought... Long story short, when I finally opened the files on my computer and got a close look it appears that this poor fellow was infested underneath with mites. I didn't want to post a picture as I thought it would be disturbing to some (I hate to look at it myself...they've become like pets to me!). Has anyone come across this before? John Subject: Re: Mites From: "Donna" <sunny19682 AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:36:02 -0400 I have the same problem - saw four dashers over the weekend and two of them were absolutely loaded with mites. Anything that can be done to help them? I have a small man made pond in the yard and I'd hate to think it was the source of the infestation - that something I put in to help wildlife is actually harming it... Donna Lorello Branford ----- Original Message ----- From: John Smith To: NEOdes AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 11:32 PM Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites I know it sounds silly but in hindsight I wish I could've caught him and used a tweezer or something to rid him of those things...I may have nightmares about this :( --- On Tue, 7/27/10, Steve Hummel wrote: From: Steve Hummel Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites To: "John Smith" Cc: NEOdes AT yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 11:15 PM Water mites are extremely common on dragonflies and damselflies. Sometimes just a couple, other times there can be dozens. Steve Hummel shummel AT iowatelecom.net On Jul 27, 2010, at 9:40 PM, John Smith wrote: Hello folks. I was casually taking photo's of a blue dasher at my backyard pond and 'saw' something like bumps along the bottom edge of the abdomen. My eyesight isn't that great and my point-and-shoot view finder isn't all that big so I didn't give it much thought... Long story short, when I finally opened the files on my computer and got a close look it appears that this poor fellow was infested underneath with mites. I didn't want to post a picture as I thought it would be disturbing to some (I hate to look at it myself...they've become like pets to me!). Has anyone come across this before? John Subject: Re: Mites From: John Smith <dreg59usa AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:32:46 -0700 (PDT) I know it sounds silly but in hindsight I wish I could've caught him and used a tweezer or something to rid him of those things...I may have nightmares about this :( --- On Tue, 7/27/10, Steve Hummel wrote: From: Steve Hummel Subject: Re: [NEodes] Mites To: "John Smith" Cc: NEOdes AT yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 11:15 PM Water mites are extremely common on dragonflies and damselflies.  Sometimes just a couple, other times there can be dozens. Steve Hummel shummel AT iowatelecom.net On Jul 27, 2010, at 9:40 PM, John Smith wrote: Hello folks. I was casually taking photo's of a blue dasher at my backyard pond and 'saw' something like bumps along the bottom edge of the abdomen. My eyesight isn't that great and my point-and-shoot view finder isn't all that big so I didn't give it much thought... Long story short, when I finally opened the files on my computer and got a close look it appears that this poor fellow was infested underneath with mites. I didn't want to post a picture as I thought it would be disturbing to some (I hate to look at it myself...they've become like pets to me!). Has anyone come across this before? John Subject: Re: Mites From: Steve Hummel <shummel AT iowatelecom.net> Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:15:40 -0500 Water mites are extremely common on dragonflies and damselflies. Sometimes just a couple, other times there can be dozens. Steve Hummel shummel AT iowatelecom.net On Jul 27, 2010, at 9:40 PM, John Smith wrote: Hello folks. I was casually taking photo's of a blue dasher at my backyard pond and 'saw' something like bumps along the bottom edge of the abdomen. My eyesight isn't that great and my point-and-shoot view finder isn't all that big so I didn't give it much thought... Long story short, when I finally opened the files on my computer and got a close look it appears that this poor fellow was infested underneath with mites. I didn't want to post a picture as I thought it would be disturbing to some (I hate to look at it myself...they've become like pets to me!). Has anyone come across this before? John Subject: Re: Mites From: Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:49:51 -0700 Their occurrence is very common indeed. Some populations of some species of odonates come close to 100% infestation at times. A few mites probably don't do anything to harm the dragonfly, but heavy loads can be deleterious. I actually don't know of any other cases in nature where parasitism is so obvious in populations! Dennis On Jul 27, 2010, at 7:45 PM, Larry de March wrote: > I see many damselflies with mites. I think their occurrence is quite common. > > Larry > > Larry de March > > Winnipeg, Manitoba > > Canada > > > > John Smith wrote: >> >> Hello folks. >> >> I was casually taking photo's of a blue dasher at my backyard pond and >> 'saw' something like bumps along the bottom edge of the abdomen. >> My eyesight isn't that great and my point-and-shoot view finder isn't >> all that big so I didn't give it much thought... >> >> Long story short, when I finally opened the files on my computer and >> got a close look it appears that this poor fellow was infested >> underneath with mites. I didn't want to post a picture as I thought it >> would be disturbing to some (I hate to look at it myself...they've >> become like pets to me!). >> >> Has anyone come across this before? >> >> John >> ----- Dennis Paulson 1724 NE 98 St. Seattle, WA 98115 206-528-1382 dennispaulson AT comcast.net Subject: Re: Mites From: Larry de March <demarchl AT mts.net> Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:45:09 -0500 I see many damselflies with mites. I think their occurrence is quite common. Larry Larry de March Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada John Smith wrote: > > Hello folks. > > I was casually taking photo's of a blue dasher at my backyard pond and > 'saw' something like bumps along the bottom edge of the abdomen. > My eyesight isn't that great and my point-and-shoot view finder isn't > all that big so I didn't give it much thought... > > Long story short, when I finally opened the files on my computer and > got a close look it appears that this poor fellow was infested > underneath with mites. I didn't want to post a picture as I thought it > would be disturbing to some (I hate to look at it myself...they've > become like pets to me!). > > Has anyone come across this before? > > John > > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEodes/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEodes/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: NEodes-digest AT yahoogroups.com NEodes-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: NEodes-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Mites From: John Smith <dreg59usa AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:40:54 -0700 (PDT) Hello folks. I was casually taking photo's of a blue dasher at my backyard pond and 'saw' something like bumps along the bottom edge of the abdomen. My eyesight isn't that great and my point-and-shoot view finder isn't all that big so I didn't give it much thought... Long story short, when I finally opened the files on my computer and got a close look it appears that this poor fellow was infested underneath with mites. I didn't want to post a picture as I thought it would be disturbing to some (I hate to look at it myself...they've become like pets to me!). Has anyone come across this before? John Subject: Pantala behavior and Argia From: Meena Haribal <mmh3 AT cornell.edu> Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:37:37 -0400 Hi all, I took a lunch walk in Mundy Wildflower Gardens of Cornell campus. As I was heading between the Green houses and USDA building two Pantala were flying low and one of them came and inspected me at my waist level by going all around me and back and forth and then decided as not great food and started looking for something else a few feet ahead of me. It was a Spot-winged Glider, P. hymenaea. The second one was also flying low, but ignored me and flew around and could see it was a P. flavescens. Later on further down in Mundy Wildflower I found several more Pantala all flying low down to ground. I was wondering why, then I realized temp was cool today. It was almost fall like temp, may be around 70. Then I found lots Argia moesta, Powdered dancers everywhere the along the path. On Friday 23 July, I was visiting a farm for an office picnic on Tuttle Road in Burdett, NY. There, after the rains around 5.30 pm, I saw lot of darners and Pantala, including one P. hymenaea. After the picnic was over, I decided explore the nearby regions. From Tuttle Road I drove to intersection of Tuttle and Dean road. On Dean road just as I was approaching fields, in one corner of the field there were at least 15 darners hunting very low to the ground between bushes and grasses. I tried to photograph and video, I did get something but not enough to identify them. So I netted one and that was a Green Darner. When I found them it was just around 7.00 Pm and cloudy. But after about half an hour clouds cleared and so did the darners, they slowly started flying higher and once the sun was brighter they were flying quite high. Yesterday, Sunday 25 July, I was paddling Chittenango Creek from Peck Road to Bridgeport in Onandaga and Madison Counties. We got stuck at several locations due to creek being blocked off by the dead trees and other debris. These were great spots for seeing lots and lots of Blue-tipped Dancers Argia tibilais. I must have seen about 200 individuals. Many were in tandem and often sat on the boat and took free ride for some distance. This is the first time ever I have seen this species! I was hoping for deeper water odes but did not find any. Two weeks ago I was on Chemung river between Elmira and Wellsburg. Here I found several Dusky Dancers Argia translata, including two mating pairs. A few larger odes, possibly clubtails, but they never came close to me. Now am going to go look for low flying Pantala! Cheers Meena Meena Haribal Ithaca NY http://haribal.org/ http://picasaweb.google.com/ithmoths http://picasaweb.google.com/mharibal http://www.flickr.com/photos/91426175 AT N00/ Subject: Re: Odonata survey of Idylwild WMA, Caroline Co., MD July 23, 2010 From: John Smith <dreg59usa AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:00:00 -0700 (PDT) Wow...that's quite the intensive survey! I went solo to the Oceanside Marine Nature Study area (Long Island, NY) and spent about 3 hours baking in the sun and saw maybe 3 Blue Dashers (Pachydiplax longipennis), 1 unknown that flew away before I had a chance to ID, and literally thousands of Seaside Dragonlets (Erythrodiplax berenice)...that's it. Not even any Green Darners which I have seen in my backyard only a few miles a way. I'll have to get some binoculars I guess! --- On Mon, 7/26/10, Hal White wrote: > A group of us (Dave Czaplak, Rick > Chiecante, Richard Orr, Jen Frye, > Patrick Graves, Jim White, Jim Brightion, and me) conducted > a very hot! > 10AM-8PM Odonata survey of the Idylwild Wildlife Management > Area in > Caroline Co., MD on Friday, July 23. This was a prelude to > excursions > next year as part of the scheduled NE regional meeting of > the Dragonfly > Society of the Americas to be based in Dover, DE, July > 14-17. Aside from > finding 41 species of Odonata, we were quite taken by the > almost > complete absence of mosquitoes and deer flies. Is this the > experience of > others this summer? We wondered whether this might be due > to the very > dry June and whether it might in turn explain the smaller > populations of > Odonata we encountered.  Our list below, includes a > new Caroline Co. > record. Many of the more interesting species were > represented by only 1 > or 2 observations. Ten species (with asterisks) were seen > this year but > not on 24 July of last year. > > Anax junius (Green Darner) > Epiaeschna heros (Swamp Darner) > Nasiaeschna pentacantha (Cyrano Darner) > Hagenius brevistylus (Dragonhunter) > Progomphus obscurus (Common Sanddargon)* > Macromia illinoiensis georgina (Georgia River Cruiser) > Macromia taeniolata (Royal River Cruiser) New Caroline Co. > Record* > Somatochlora linearis (Mocha Emerald) > Somatochlora sp (not linearis)* > Celithemis eponina (Halloween Pennant) > Celithemis fasciata (Banded Pennant) > Celithemis verna (Double-ringed Pennant) > Erythemis simplicicollis (Eastern Pondhawk) > Libellula axilena (Bar-winged Skimmer)* > Libellula cyanea (Spangled Skimmer) > Libellula flavida (Yellow-sided Skimmer)* > Libellula incesta (Slaty Skimmer) > Libellula luctuosa (Widow Skimmer) > Libellula vibrans (Great Blue Skimmer) > Nannothemis bella (Elfin Skimmer) > Pachydiplax longipennis (Blue Dasher) > Pantala hymenaea (Spot-winged Glider)* > Perithemis tenera (Eastern Amberwing) > Sympetrum vicinum (Autumn Meadowhawk)* > Sympetrum sp (not vicinum)* > Tramea carolina (Carolina Saddlebags)* > > Calopteryx dimidiata (Sparkling Jewelwing) > Calopteryx maculata (Ebony Jewelwing) > Lestes rectangularis (Slender Spreadwing) > Lestes vigilax (Swamp Spreadwing)* > Argia apicalis (Blue-fronted Dancer) > Argia fumipennis violacea (Variable Dancer) > Argia tibialis (Blue-tipped Dancer) > Enallagma dubium (Burgundy Bluet) > Enallagma signatum (Orange Bluet) > Enallagma weewa (Blackwater Bluet) > Ischnura hastata (Citrine Forktail) > Ischnura kellicotti (Lilypad Forktail) > Ischnura posita (Fragile Forktail) > Nehalennia gracilis (Sphagnum Sprite) > Nehalennia integricollis (Southern Sprite) > > The following nine species that were observed last year > were not > observed on this year's survey. > > Epitheca princeps (Prince Baskettail) > Erythrodiplax minuscula (Little Blue Skimmer) > Plathemis lydia (Common Whitetail) > Sympetrum ambiguum (Blue-faced Meadowhawk) > Lestes inaequalis (Elegant Spreadwing) > Enallagma daeckii (Attenuated Bluet) > Enallagma geminatum (Skimming Bluet) > Enallagma pallidum (Pale Bluet) > Telebasis byersi (Duckweed firetail) > > Hal White > Newark, DE > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >     NEodes-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com > > > Subject: Great Falls Discovery Center and Photo Exhibit From: Glenn Corbiere <gcorbiere AT dragonhunter.net> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:46:44 -0700 (PDT) Hello Everyone, First a plug for the Great Falls Discovery Center: The Great Falls Discovery Center is a visitor center is operated jointly by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation and also the Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center. It is dedicated to the Connecticut River Watershed. This little gem of a visitor's center is located in the scenic and historic village of Turner's Falls on the banks of the Connecticut River.  I was drawn in by their specatcular diaramas of various habitats in the Watershed. They also have a large 3D map of the entire watershed. It's in the Greenfield area of Western Massachusetts, and if you happen to find yourself in the area, it's well worth a visit. In the summer they are open daily from 10 to 4. Here is their web site: http://www.greatfallsma.org/ Secondly, the Great Hall, which is part of the visitor's center, often has photo and art exhibits. I have a new photo exhibit which will be there during the month of August. If you're in the area at the right time, please stop by to check it out. Putting this exhibit together has really cut into my field time over the last month or so!  I'll be there for a reception on Sunday, August 8, from 1 to 3PM.  I would be pleased if any of you could stop in, say hello, have some refreshments, and enjoy the Visitor's Center and check out my new photo exhibit.  Come to think of it, I should mention the photo exhibit that is currently on display there - some incredible nature photography by Don Cooper and Linda Henderson. I was truly impressed by this exhibit! Many Thanks, Glenn   Glenn Corbiere 100 Prospect St. Chester, MA. 01011-9657 www.dragonhunter.net Subject: Re: Ode (odd) behavior From: Bob Moul <n8urepix AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:27:39 -0400 Chris and all, The color may not have anything to do with the behavior but it would seem that the painted surface did. A third ode came into the picture several times just as you would see over water when a pair were in tandem. The pair would fly off several yards to avoid the intruder then come back to the same blue painted area. I too have seen dragonflies patrolling over parking lots but I always assumed they were pursuing prey stirred up by pedestrians or vehicles. As John alluded to, they are simply amazing and entertaining to watch as they buzz around in their own little world. Best, Bob Bob Moul (N8urePix AT Comcast.net) Adams County, PA USA "PROTECTING NATURE THROUGH EDUCATION" Photo Galleries: http://www.PBase.com/rcm1840 http://bob.moul.oiseaux.net/index.en.html Chris Hill wrote: > Wandering Gliders (and saddlebags, too, I think) routinely oviposit on > car hoods in parking lots (and slow-moving traffic!) near me, and I'm > pretty sure blue doesn't have anything to do with it (my car hood is > red). So simple shiny reflection does it in some cases. Could the > paint have some gloss to it? Is it shiny? Reflected light is > polarized differently from incident light (which is why polarized dark > glasses cut road glare). That might also be a cue. > > What's the minimum stimulus, do you suppose: flat, horizontal, and > either reflective or lighter than the surroundings? I don't see them > ovipositing on actual asphalt (though occasionally I will see a > dragonfly patrolling the long rectangular parking lot as if it were a > river). > > Chris > > On Jul 22, 2010, at 1:27 PM, John Smith wrote: > >> Coincidence...I was out in my backyard again yesterday at "dusk" >> trying to photograph a squadron of darners and I noticed a lone Blue >> Dasher bumping into the top of my wife's car which is dark metallic >> blue. >> >> > > ************************************************************************ > Christopher E. Hill > Biology Department > Coastal Carolina University > Conway, SC 29528-1954 > chill AT coastal.edu > http://ww2.coastal.edu/chill/chill.htm > > "The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best > time is now." Chinese Proverb > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > Subject: Re: Ode (odd) behavior From: John Smith <dreg59usa AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:09:56 -0700 (PDT) The sensory world of the dragonfly would be a fascinating study on its own. I'm amazed in their mating that they are able to recognize "their own", hook up in mid-air or elesewhere, fly in tandem, etc. In flying they must constantly be making split-second "decisions" on what is in their vicinity based on color, size, and movement...is it a potential mate, a competitor, food, a predator, etc. --- On Thu, 7/22/10, Chris Hill wrote: > Wandering Gliders (and saddlebags, > too, I think) routinely oviposit on  > car hoods in parking lots (and slow-moving traffic!) near > me, and I'm  > pretty sure blue doesn't have anything to do with it (my > car hood is  > red).  So simple shiny reflection does it in some > cases.  Could the  > paint have some gloss to it?  Is it shiny?  > Reflected light is  > polarized differently from incident light (which is why > polarized dark  > glasses cut road glare).  That might also be a cue. > > What's the minimum stimulus, do you suppose: flat, > horizontal, and  > either reflective or lighter than the surroundings?  I > don't see them  > ovipositing on actual asphalt (though occasionally I will > see a  > dragonfly patrolling the long rectangular parking lot as if > it were a  > river). > > Chris > > On Jul 22, 2010, at 1:27 PM, John Smith wrote: > > > Coincidence...I was out in my backyard again yesterday > at "dusk"  > > trying to photograph a squadron of darners and I > noticed a lone Blue  > > Dasher bumping into the top of my wife's car which is > dark metallic  > > blue. > > > > > > ************************************************************************ > Christopher E. Hill > Biology Department > Coastal Carolina University > Conway, SC 29528-1954 > chill AT coastal.edu > http://ww2.coastal.edu/chill/chill.htm > > "The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago.  > The second best  > time is now."  Chinese Proverb > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >     NEodes-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com > > > Subject: Re: Ode (odd) behavior From: Chris Hill <chill AT coastal.edu> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:46:24 -0400 Wandering Gliders (and saddlebags, too, I think) routinely oviposit on car hoods in parking lots (and slow-moving traffic!) near me, and I'm pretty sure blue doesn't have anything to do with it (my car hood is red). So simple shiny reflection does it in some cases. Could the paint have some gloss to it? Is it shiny? Reflected light is polarized differently from incident light (which is why polarized dark glasses cut road glare). That might also be a cue. What's the minimum stimulus, do you suppose: flat, horizontal, and either reflective or lighter than the surroundings? I don't see them ovipositing on actual asphalt (though occasionally I will see a dragonfly patrolling the long rectangular parking lot as if it were a river). Chris On Jul 22, 2010, at 1:27 PM, John Smith wrote: > Coincidence...I was out in my backyard again yesterday at "dusk" > trying to photograph a squadron of darners and I noticed a lone Blue > Dasher bumping into the top of my wife's car which is dark metallic > blue. > > ************************************************************************ Christopher E. Hill Biology Department Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC 29528-1954 chill AT coastal.edu http://ww2.coastal.edu/chill/chill.htm "The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now." Chinese Proverb Subject: Re: Ode (odd) behavior From: John Smith <dreg59usa AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:27:56 -0700 (PDT) Coincidence...I was out in my backyard again yesterday at "dusk" trying to photograph a squadron of darners and I noticed a lone Blue Dasher bumping into the top of my wife's car which is dark metallic blue. I've wondered how they know its water...is it the reflected color of the sky, do they see the motion of their own body reflected in the water, do they 'feel' the wetness when they 1st dip, etc. The blue dasher repeated the run many times...maybe it is color alone? --- On Thu, 7/22/10, Bob Moul wrote: > From: Bob Moul > Subject: [NEodes] Ode (odd) behavior > To: "NEodes AT yahoogroups.com" > Date: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 1:05 PM > This morning as I was sitting in my > vehicle on a Sears parking lot I > noticed a pair of odes in tandem flying low towards me. I > can't ID them > other then they looked to be saddlebag size and the male > looked reddish. > Anyway, what surprised me was when they would get to the > handicap spaces > where it was painted blue surrounding the handicap symbol, > they would > dip and the female would touch the surface as though > ovipositing. Do you > think she was actually placing eggs or did they think the > blue macadam > was water? > -- > > Best, > Bob > > Bob Moul (N8urePix AT Comcast.net) > Adams County, PA USA > > "PROTECTING NATURE THROUGH EDUCATION" >                 >                 >   Photo Galleries: >                 http://www.PBase.com/rcm1840 >        http://bob.moul.oiseaux.net/index.en.html > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >     NEodes-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com > > > Subject: Ode (odd) behavior From: Bob Moul <n8urepix AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:05:55 -0400 This morning as I was sitting in my vehicle on a Sears parking lot I noticed a pair of odes in tandem flying low towards me. I can't ID them other then they looked to be saddlebag size and the male looked reddish. Anyway, what surprised me was when they would get to the handicap spaces where it was painted blue surrounding the handicap symbol, they would dip and the female would touch the surface as though ovipositing. Do you think she was actually placing eggs or did they think the blue macadam was water? -- Best, Bob Bob Moul (N8urePix AT Comcast.net) Adams County, PA USA "PROTECTING NATURE THROUGH EDUCATION" Photo Galleries: http://www.PBase.com/rcm1840 http://bob.moul.oiseaux.net/index.en.html Subject: RE: Odes to Blacklight From: "Karro Frost" <kfrost AT neeinc.com> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:27:33 -0400 Every year I have a harlequin darner show up at my porch light around 9 pm – usually only once (well that I notice!) during the summer. This animal certainly seems to be disoriented and going after the light as much as a moth or beetle would. This year, it came in the door when we went out to look at it. Inside it was even more confused but I safely got it outdoors without the help of the 4 felines. Karro Frost kfrost AT neeinc.com From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Joshua Stuart Rose Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 11:49 PM To: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight Hey all - I think DW intended his message below to go to the whole list, not just to me. I often wonder, when predatory insects show up at lights, if they are being drawn directly to the light as the moths, beetles, etc. are, or if they are being drawn to the concentration of prey. I have seen many predators at lights that would *not* be drawn by the lights alone, for instance frogs, toads, scorpions, and tarantulas. Bats too, and have heard of owls in such situations. So when odonates, robberflies, mantids, and other predatory insects show up, are they voluntarily coming to eat, or being drawn and disoriented as their prey is? Cheers, Josh -----Original Message----- From: D W Bridgehouse Sent: Jul 19, 2010 7:50 AM To: 'Joshua Stuart Rose' Subject: RE: [NEodes] Odes to Blacklight Joshua Stuart Rose opihi AT mindspring.com Amherst MA http://www.facebook.com/opihi http://bugguide.net/user/view/2399 Subject: UK Damselfly From: "John and Sue Gregoire" <khmo AT empacc.net> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:06:55 -0400 Passing this along to the group from Elizabeth (Brazil). John Elizabeth saw this story on the BBC News website and thought you should see it. ** 'Lost' insect turns up anew in UK ** The dainty damselfly re-appears in the UK after an absence of more than 50 years, probably assisted by climate change. < http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/science-environment-10718550 > -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" Subject: Tramea females and Spotwinged Gliders From: Meena Haribal <mmh3 AT cornell.edu> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:41:46 -0400 Hello all, Observations of Tramea females by Sue and Dennis seem very interesting to me. Two years ago, I posted about behavior of male Black Saddlebag during oviposition. Male and female flew in tandem and as female was laying eggs he released her and then grabbed her off the water to take her to a different locations for continued oviposition. This is known in literature for Tramea carolina. http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html This the blog I posted. Link to individual photos is here. http://picasaweb.google.com/mharibal/CatherineSMarshAndHorseheadsMarshNYPhotos?feat=flashslideshow#5212991299888523890 I wondered why such a behavior has evolved. I thought it has something to do with the male's behavior. Now I am wondering if females have evolved to wait for a male to grab them off of water or females in general could not take off on their own from the water hence the male behavior of grabbing her off of water has evolved. It is very curious. Worth investigating the evolution of such behavior. A couple of weeks ago, I was in Horsehead Marsh hoping to get a video of this behavior, but unfortunately I did not see any ovipositing pairs. For last three weeks or so I have been observing Spot-winged Gliders Pantala hymenaea in Ithaca. I generally see them mostly in the parking lots such as Lowe's, Home Depot, Wegmans and also in the meadow in Hawthorn Orchard in East Hill, and from my office window on 4th floor of the building. Two weeks ago, on the week-end I went to lab for some work and when I got back to my car, I found two Wandering Gliders going back and forth along the parked cars as if guarding them. So I took out my camera and waited for them to fly over me. Often they came very close to inspect me or my camera, but never managed to get a good shot. Then I thought maybe I should try catch. This is the first time I have tried this tactic. I did succeed in catching one easily without an effort as one came to inspect me. I decided to take it home and photograph. He was quiet in the container and acted dead. I was bit worried and was wondering if I killed him. I got home and released him on a leaf. He acted dead. I took couple of pictures. Then in spur of a moment he stirred and whirred and was off in no time. He took off at an angle of 75 deg and shot straight up and he flew high till he was invisible to me and that was probably more than 100 m or so in about a second, leaving me gaping at him!. I see them very often at the level of my office window, sometimes coming very close to the window as if to check out what is going on inside. Otherwise, not many odonates seem to be around here. I have had several encounters with hunting Swamp Darners, Epiaeschna heros in the woods late in the evenings in many locations including Connecticut Hill (in the mid afternoon), Summer Hill and Hammond Hill. Meena Meena Haribal Ithaca NY http://haribal.org/ http://picasaweb.google.com/ithmoths http://picasaweb.google.com/mharibal http://www.flickr.com/photos/91426175 AT N00/ From: NEodes AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:NEodes AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dennis Paulson Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 10:44 PM To: khmo AT empacc.net Cc: NEOdes Subject: Re: [NEodes] Anax longipes Sue, Thanks for the story. I fished a female Tramea onusta (Red Saddlebags) out of the water in south Texas, where I think she got stuck while ovipositing. Or maybe a male Tramea or another dragonfly drove her into the water, where there was a lot of algae in which to get stuck. Not realizing she might have enjoyed my finger, I put her on a stem, and she shortly flew away. With all my field work, I very rarely find a female dragonfly on the surface like that. I suspect that the males see the females in flight and don't get the same visual stimuli from a perched individual. Dennis On Jul 21, 2010, at 6:03 AM, John and Sue Gregoire wrote: So that's where they all went! Just over a week ago a big front came through and seemingly blew away all the longipes from the ponds scattered around here and we miss them. Nothing quite like seeing one of those sail by. Sweet. So does this qualify as an irruption, like with birds, a sign of global warming, a result of weather patterns or all of the above? We'll see what happens next year. I rescued a drowning female Tramea lacerata (Black saddlebags) yesterday and let her perch on my hand while she dried off and regained her cool. She waited until her wings dried in the sun then engaged in some serious wing whirring. That done, she proceeded to vigorously wash her face with her front legs, then sun-bathed for about 5 minutes. During the whole time I had her a lone male soared around the pond showing no interest in her at all, even though she was quite visible. I was expecting him to snatch her, but he did not. After about 10 minutes she sped off. Of course I blinked just at that moment and did not see which direction she took and if the male caught up with her. Gosh, they can be fast! Sue G. -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" ----- Dennis Paulson 1724 NE 98 St. Seattle,! WA 98115 206-528-1382 dennispaulson AT comcast.net Subject: RE: Odes to Blacklight From: Joshua Stuart Rose <opihi AT mindspring.com> Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:49:29 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: Re: Anax longipes From: Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:43:57 -0700 Sue, Thanks for the story. I fished a female Tramea onusta (Red Saddlebags) out of the water in south Texas, where I think she got stuck while ovipositing. Or maybe a male Tramea or another dragonfly drove her into the water, where there was a lot of algae in which to get stuck. Not realizing she might have enjoyed my finger, I put her on a stem, and she shortly flew away. With all my field work, I very rarely find a female dragonfly on the surface like that. I suspect that the males see the females in flight and don't get the same visual stimuli from a perched individual. Dennis On Jul 21, 2010, at 6:03 AM, John and Sue Gregoire wrote: > So that's where they all went! Just over a week ago a big front came through and > seemingly blew away all the longipes from the ponds scattered around here and we > miss them. Nothing quite like seeing one of those sail by. Sweet. > > So does this qualify as an irruption, like with birds, a sign of global warming, a > result of weather patterns or all of the above? We'll see what happens next year. > > I rescued a drowning female Tramea lacerata (Black saddlebags) yesterday and let her > perch on my hand while she dried off and regained her cool. She waited until her > wings dried in the sun then engaged in some serious wing whirring. That done, she > proceeded to vigorously wash her face with her front legs, then sun-bathed for about > 5 minutes. During the whole time I had her a lone male soared around the pond > showing no interest in her at all, even though she was quite visible. I was > expecting him to snatch her, but he did not. > > After about 10 minutes she sped off. Of course I blinked just at that moment and did > not see which direction she took and if the male caught up with her. Gosh, they can > be fast! > > Sue G. > > -- > John and Sue Gregoire > Field Ornithologists > Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory > 5373 Fitzgerald Road > Burdett,NY 14818-9626 > Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ > "Conserve and Create Habitat" > > ----- Dennis Paulson 1724 NE 98 St. Seattle, WA 98115 206-528-1382 dennispaulson AT comcast.net