State of Jefferson Dragonflies by Kathy and Dave Biggs

Introduction to State of Jefferson Dragonflies

We taught a 2 day workshop at the Siskiyou Field Institute in Selma, OR. The first day we teach a ‘beginner’s’ class and take the folks to Lake Selmac to see the Skimmers, a few darners and some pond damsels. This lake is Ode-intense….I’ve NEVER seen more Widow Skimmers anywhere. They flew all about us, in-wheel, in-tandem, in pursuit, in battle, in all, great!! The Autumn Meadowhawk was a first for the workshop.

Our species list, all seen at Lake Selmac, except for those marked as occurring on Deer Creek and the Darlingtonia Fen behind it.

Lake Selmac species list, July 27

Grappletail, Deer Creek fen
 W. Pondhawk
8-spot Skimmer
Widow Skimmer
Flame Skimmer
 Blue Dasher
 Co. Whitetail Cardinal Meadowhawk
AUTUMN Meadowhawk, one teneral female, photos taken
Black Saddlebags, ‘tramea dance’ observed
Emma’s Dancer, Deer Creek
Sooty Dancer, Deer Creek
Tule Bluet
W. Forktail
Pacific Forktail
C. Green Darner

Intermediate Dragonflies

The 2nd day of our Siskiyou Field Institute in Selma, OR. we teach an ‘intermediate” class and then take the folks to Forks of the Illinois River State Park where we walk up the river in hopes of finding River Jewelwings and then search the rocky shoreline for Clubtails. This year we saw no Jewelwings as we walked up river to the small backwater area where they are usually the thickest….had just apologized to the group for probably arriving too late this season, when a bunch of females and one male showed up. Yey!!
At Lake Bolan, 5440’, we found thousands of bluets, every grass blade had one! …plus those in flight.

Species list for Forks State Park and Bolan Lake July 28th

Key:
I=Forks of the Illinois Rv.
B=Bolan Lake
D=Deer Creek

River Jewelwing – I, 5 f,1m
Emma’s Dancer – D, ~6
California Dancer – I, assumed this species, several
Sooty Dancer – I, several dozen; D, half dozen
Vivid Dancer – I, a few
No/Bo Bluet – B. abundant – both species have been recorded here before
Pacific Forktail I, a few m&F
Western Forktail- I, 1m & 1 f
Shadow Darner – B, 4 in-hand, more present, assumed this species
Common Green Darner – a male in flight
Pacific Clubtail – I (possibly this species photographed, awaiting Alan’s photos)
Bison Snaketail – I, ~10, including some males and females in-hand
Pacific Spiketail/Western River Cruiser -I,  possibly both species seen, but only from a distance
American Emerald – B, one female in hand. Other Emeralds over the lake assumed to be this species.
Eight-spotted Skimmer – I, 4-6 males
Four-spotted Skimmer – B, 1 male in-hand
Flame Skimmer – I, 2 males
Variegated Meadowhawk – I, 1 female photographed

Other dragonfly photos by student Alan Harper (Shown photographing horizontally below): http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanharper/sets/72157634868633220/