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

Dragonflies and Damselflies of Southeastern New York Alan & Della Wells

Odonata North America New Jersey New York 511 species 182 species 185 species

Odonata Damselflies (Zygoptera) 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 Dragonflies (Anisoptera) 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 New Jersey New York 161 species 54 species 58 species

Damselflies Broad-winged Damsels Spreadwings Pond Damsels

Broad-winged Damsels Calopterygidae Wings broad at base Wings held together at rest Wings with black, brown, amber or red 6 NY species

Ebony Jewelwing, Calopteryx maculata

Spreadwings Lestidae 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 Damsel Coenagrionidae Wings narrow at base Wings usually held together at rest Wings clear or slightly tinted Stigmas short, length width 41 NY species

Pond Damsels Common 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

Tech Note: How to tell Bluets from Dancers... Look for,

Variable (Violet) Dancer, Argia fumipennis

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)

Tech Note: Distinquishing Bluets and related damsels... From Nikula et al. 2003

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 New Jersey New York 350 species 127 species 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

Petaltails Petaluridae 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

Darners Aeshnidae 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

Springtime Darner, Basiaeschna janata

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

Clubtails Gomphidae 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

Spiketails Cordulagasteridae???? 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

Cruisers Macromiidae 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

Emeralds Corduliidae 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

Technical Note: Emeralds Skimmers http://www.bio.georgiasouthern.edu/bio-home/harvey/dragonkey.html

Prince Baskettail, Prince Baskettail, http://www.dragonflies.org/

Common Baskettail, Epitheca cynosura (?)

Uhler s Sundragon, Helocordulia uhleri

Clamp-tipped Emerald, Somatochlora tenebrosa

Tech Note: How to tell Somatochlora apart... From Nikula et al. 2003

Racket-tailed Emerald, Dorocordulia libera

Unidentified Emerald, Cordulidae

Skimmer Libellulidae 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

Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis

Eastern Pondhawk, Erythemis simplicollis

Halloween Pennant, Celithemis eponina

Calico Pennant, Celithemis elisa

Banded Pennant, Celithemis fasciata

Painted Skimmer, Libellula semifasciata

Four-spotted Skimmer, Libellula quadrimaculata

Needham s Skimmer, Libellula needhami (S2S3)

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

Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella

Widow Skimmer, Libellula luctuosa

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

Band-winged Meadowhawk, Sympetrum semicinctum

Wandering Glider, Pantala flavescens

Black Saddlebags, Tramea lacerata

Behavior

Twelve-spotted Skimmer + Blue Dasher

Common Whitetail, Libellula (Plathemis) lydia

Art Work: C. Berger 2004 I need another male like I need another hole in my head...

Obelisking Meadowhawk, Sympetrum sp.

Reproduction From: Manolis 2003

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

When? 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

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 New York 5 species 6 species

Spreadwings North America 19 species New Jersey New York 11 species 11 species

Pond Damsels North America 116 species New Jersey New York 38 species 41 species