Dragonflies and Damselflies of Southeastern New York

165
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Southeastern New York Alan & Della Wells

Transcript of Dragonflies and Damselflies of Southeastern New York

Dragonflies and Damselflies

of Southeastern New York

Alan & Della Wells

Odonata

North America 511 species

New Jersey 182 species

New York 185 species

Damselflies (Zygoptera)

Dragonflies (Anisoptera)

Odonata• At rest, wings meeting above body or partly extended

• Front and hind wings similar in size and shape

• Eyes separated by more than their own width

• Generally, weak fliers

• At rest, wings held horizontally

• Hind wing considerably wider at base than front wing

• Eyes meeting mid-dorsally or closely spaced

• Generally, strong fliers

Damselflies

North America 161 species

New Jersey 54 species

New York 58 species

Broad-winged Damsels

Damselflies

Spreadwings

Pond Damsels

Broad-winged DamselsCalopterygidae

• Wings broad at base

• Wings held together at rest

• Wings with black, brown, amber or red

• 6 NY species

Ebony Jewelwing, Calopteryx maculata

Ebony Jewelwing, Calopteryx maculata

SpreadwingsLestidae

• Wings narrow at base

• Wings spread at rest

• Wings clear or slightly tinted

• Stigmas long, length > 2x width

• 11 NY species

Southern Spreadwing, Lestes australis

Slender Spreadwing, Lestes rectangularis

Sweetflag Spreadwing,

Lestes forcipatus

Swamp Spreadwing, Lestes vigilax

Amber-winged Spreadwing ???, Lestes eurinus

Pond DamselCoenagrionidae

• Wings narrow at base

• Wings usually held together at rest

• Wings clear or slightly tinted

• Stigmas short, length width

• 41 NY species

Pond DamselsCommon Name Genus NY

Bluets (American) Enallagma 24

Dancers Argia 6

Forktails Ischnura 6

Sprites Nehalennia 3

Aurora Damsel Chromagrion 1

Red Damsel Amphiagrion 1

Bluets (Eurasian) Coenagrion 1

How to tell Bluets from Dancers...

Look for,

Tech Note:

Variable (Violet) Dancer, Argia fumipennis

Variable (Violet) Dancer, Argia fumipennis

Powdered Dancer, Argia moesta

Powdered Dancer, Argia moesta

Blue-fronted Dancer, Argia apicalis

Dusky Dancer, Argia translata

Blue-tipped Dancer, Argia tibialis (S1)

Blue-tipped Dancer, Argia tibialis (Blue Form) (S1)

Distinquishing Bluets and related damsels...

From Nikula et al. 2003

Tech Note:

Skimming Bluet, Enallagma geminatum

Stream Bluet, Enallagma exsulans

Turquoise Bluet, Enallagma divagans

Northern Bluet, Enallagma cyathigerum

New England Bluet, Enallagma laterale

Azure Bluet, Enallagma aspersum

Marsh Bluet, Enallagma ebrium

Double-striped Bluet, Enallagma basidens

Familiar Bluet, Enallagma civile

Big Bluet, Enallagma durum

Orange Bluet, Enallagma signatum

Eastern Forktail, Ischnura verticalis

Fragile Forktail, Ischnura posita

Lilypad Forktail, Ischnura kellicotti

Sedge Sprite, Nehalennia irene

Sphagnum Sprite, Nehalennia gracilis

Aurora Damsel, Chromagrion conditum

Dragonflies

North America 350 species

New Jersey 127 species

New York 128 species

Dragonflies

Family NY

Petaltails Petaluridae 1

Darners Aeshnidae 19

Clubtails Gomphidae 34

Spiketails Cordulegastridae 4

Cruisers Macromiidae 2

Emeralds Corduliidae 25

Skimmers Libellulidae 42

PetaltailsPetaluridae

• Size: Large

• Wings: Clear

• Coloration: Gray and black

• Eyes: Dark, widely separated

• Perch: Hanging vertically on tree trunks, on ground

• Flight: Males may patrol up and down tree trunks

Gray Petaltail, Trachopteryx thoreyi

DarnersAeshnidae

• Size: Medium to large

• Wings: Most are clear

• Coloration: Multicolored (brown with blue, green, yellow

• Eyes: Large, meet broadly along a seam (often blue, green, or brown)

• Perch: Most hang vertically or obliquely

• Flight: Fliers, at low to high heights

Common Green Darner, Anax junius

Common Green Darner, Anax junius

Common Green Darner, Anax junius

Springtime Darner,

Basiaeschna janata

Swamp Darner,

Epiaeschna heros

Swamp Darner, Epiaeschna heros

Harlequin Darner, Gomphaeschna furcillata

Green-striped Darner, Aeschna verticalis

Shadow Darner, Aeshna umbrosa

Spatterdock Darner, Aeshna mutata

Tech Note:

How to tell Mosaic Darners apart...

From Nikula et al. 2003

Fawn Darner, Boyeria vinosa

ClubtailsGomphidae

• Size: Small to large

• Wings: Most are clear

• Coloration: Camouflaged color pattern; brown/black with yellow, green, or gray

• Eyes: Widely separated, often green or blue

• Perch: Horizontally on ground, rocks, etc. Often with arched abdomen

• Flight: Perchers; fly at low to medium heights

• Other Characteristics: Often with a flare (club) at end of abdomen

Least Clubtail, Stylogomphus albistylus

Dragonhunter, Hagenius brevistylus

Black-shouldered Spinyleg, Dromogomphus spinosus

Lancet Clubtail, Gomphus exilis

Lilypad Clubtail, Arigomphus furcifer

Unicorn Clubtail, Arigomphus villosipes

Ashy Clubtail, Gomphus lividus

Ashy Clubtail, Gomphus lividus

SpiketailsCordulagasteridae????

• Size: XXXX

• Wings: XXX

• Coloration: XXX

• Eyes: XXX

• Perch: XXX

• Flight: XXX

• Other Characteristics: Two yellow stripes on the side of the thorax

Arrowhead Spiketail, Cordulegaster obliqua

Delta-spotted Spiketail,

Cordulegaster diastatops

Twin-spotted Spiketail, Cordulegaster maculata

Tiger Spiketail, Cordulegaster erronea

CruisersMacromiidae

• Size: XXXX

• Wings: XXX

• Coloration: XXX

• Eyes: XXX

• Perch: XXX

• Flight: XXX

• Other Characteristics: Single yellow stripe on the side of the thorax

Stream Cruiser, Didymops transversa

EmeraldsCorduliidae

• Size: Medium to large

• Wings: Most are clear; club shaped anal loop

• Coloration: Mostly brown/black with yellow spots/stripes; often iridescent bronze/green

• Eyes: Meet broadly along seam; often brilliant green

• Perch: Most hang vertically or obliquely

• Flight: Fliers; fly at medium to high heights

• Other Characteristics: Males often with spindle-shaped abdomen

Emeralds

Skimmers

http://www.bio.georgiasouthern.edu/bio-home/Harvey/dragonkey.html

Technical Note:

Prince Baskettail,

http://www.dragonflies.org/

Prince Baskettail,

Common Baskettail, Epitheca cynosura (?)

Uhler’s Sundragon, Helocordulia uhleri

Clamp-tipped Emerald, Somatochlora tenebrosa

From Nikula et al. 2003

Tech Note:

How to tell Somatochlora apart...

Racket-tailed Emerald, Dorocordulia libera

Unidentified Emerald, Cordulidae

SkimmerLibellulidae

• Size: Small to large

• Wings: Often with conspicuous patterns; foot-shaped anal loop

• Coloration: Colorful, often sexually dichromatic

• Eyes: Meet broadly along seam

• Perch: Horizontally, vertically or obliquely

• Flight: Mostly perchers; fly at low to high heights

Eastern Amberwing, Perithemis tenera

Eastern Amberwing, Perithemis tenera

Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis

Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis

Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis

Eastern Pondhawk, Erythemis simplicollis

Eastern Pondhawk, Erythemis simplicollis

Halloween Pennant, Celithemis eponina

Calico Pennant, Celithemis elisa

Calico Pennant, Celithemis elisa

Banded Pennant, Celithemis fasciata

Painted Skimmer, Libellula semifasciata

Four-spotted Skimmer, Libellula quadrimaculata

Needham’s Skimmer, Libellula needhami (S2S3)

Needham’s Skimmer, Libellula needhami (S2S3)

Spangled Skimmer, Libellula cyanea

Spangled Skimmer, Libellula cyanea

Slaty Skimmer, Libellula incesta

Great Blue Skimmer, Libellula vibrans

Chalk-fronted Corporal, Ladona julia

White Corporal, Ladona exusta

Blue Corporal, Ladona deplanata

Common Whitetail, Plathemis lydia

Common Whitetail, Plathemis lydia

Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella

Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella

Widow Skimmer, Libellula luctuosa

Widow Skimmer, Libellula luctuosa

Dot-tailed Whiteface, Leucorrhinia intacta

Dot-tailed Whiteface, Leucorrhinia intacta

Frosted Whiteface, Leucorrhinia frigida

Hudsonian Whiteface, Leucorrhinia hudsonica

White-faced Meadowhawk, Sympetrum obtrusum

Ruby Meadowhawk, Sympetrum rubicundulum

Yellow-legged Meadowhawk, Sympetrum vicinum

Yellow-legged Meadowhawk, Sympetrum vicinum

Band-winged Meadowhawk, Sympetrum semicinctum

Wandering Glider, Pantala flavescens

Black Saddlebags, Tramea lacerata

Behavior

Twelve-spotted Skimmer + Blue Dasher

Twelve-spotted Skimmer + Blue Dasher

Twelve-spotted Skimmer + Blue Dasher

Twelve-spotted Skimmer + Blue Dasher

Common Whitetail, Libellula (Plathemis) lydia

“I need another male like I need another hole in my head...”

Art Work: C. Berger 2004

Obelisking Meadowhawk, Sympetrum sp.

Reproduction

From: Manolis 2003

Common Whitetail, Libellula (Plathemis) lydia

Common Whitetail, Libellula (Plathemis) lydia

Common Whitetail, Libellula (Plathemis) lydia

Common Whitetail, Libellula (Plathemis) lydia

Unknown sp.

Great Blue Skimmer,

Libellula vibrans

Ebony Jewelwing, Calopteryx maculata

Dusky Dancer, Argia translata

Powdered Dancer, Argia moesta

Needham’s Skimmer, Libellula needhami

How to Study Dragonflies & Damselflies

Close-focus Binoculars

Field Guide

Dunkle 2000

Digital Camera

Equipment, Supplies and Books

For Entomology and Related Sciences

2321 Gladwick Street

Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220, USA

Phone: (310) 667-8800 Fax: (310) 667-8808

Office Hours: 8:00AM - 5:00PM Pacific Time Mon. - Fri.

BioQuip e-mail Directory

http://www.bioquip.com/default.asp

Species MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

All Season Long

Common Green Darner

Spring

Common Baskettail

Common Whitetail

Eastern Forktail

Early Summer

Familiar Bluet

Ebony Jewelwing

Slaty Skimmer

Unicorn Clubtail

Mid Summer

Widow Skimmer

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Blue Dasher

Eastern Pondhawk

Black Saddlebags

Calico Pennant

Halloween Pennant

Clamp-tailed Emerald

Late Summer

Wandering Glider

Shadow Darner

White-faced Meadowhawk

Ruby Meadowhawk

Cherry-faced Meadowhawk

Late Fall

Yellow-legged Meadowhawk

Flight Seasons

When?

Where? Arden Brook

Where? Ramapo River

Where? Lily Pond

Where? Cheesecote Mountain Pond

Where? Goose Pond Mountain

Dragonflies and Damselflies

of Southeastern New York

Broad-winged Damsels

North America 9 species

New Jersey 5 species

New York 6 species

Spreadwings

North America 19 species

New Jersey 11 species

New York 11 species

Pond Damsels

North America 116 species

New Jersey 38 species

New York 41 species