Saturday, June 30, 2012

Locations surveyed 06/23/12: High Rock Park, Staten Island NY
Locations surveyed 06/24/12: Mill Creek Pond & Long Pond State Park, Staten Island NY

On Saturday I spent the day lurking about the trails and waterways of High Rock Park.  The Anisoptera encountered were expected, but on a trail around Lake Ohrbach I happened upon a special surprise; a ghostly angel hair-thin shape floated through the shaded vegetation, only noticeable for its baby blue anterior and posterior accents.  My life Attenuated Bluet (Enallagma daeckii)!  It was mesmerizing to watch the grace and precision of this tiny creature as it hovered amid the foliage, spiraling slowly around stems and plucking morsels from the undersides of leaves.  This species is a perfect example of how that thin, elongate body provides the perfect balance and stability needed for a slow, "grazing" lifestyle, as opposed to the relatively compact, more powerful design of the Anisoptera, experts at the high speed chase and capture approach.  I netted this individual, but alas the creature's diminutive proportions in combination with low lighting conditions taxed my camera beyond its limits, and my tiny prize flew off leaving me with only dark, dull photos.  Amazingly, less than a hundred yards away on a different trail I came across a second individual, likewise drifting along leisurely, examining low vegetation and occasionally perching for short spans.  This find is all the more satisfying because it was not an Island species included in the NYDDS conducted in 2005, and not one I ever expected to come across here.

Later I sought out a grassy intersection of trails, an open area with several ponds nearby where I suspected I would be able to find Lestes gathering.  I was not disappointed.  The first were several Slender Spreadwings (Lestes rectangularis), a mix of males and females.  Then I caught sight of a smaller, rather typically brownish-bronzy female.  This one I wisely netted, and close examination, especially of terminal appendages, made me confident that I was holding a Southern Spreadwing (Lestes australis).  2 more were seen in the clearing.  Upon exiting to my trail, I found a male perched.  I was unable to net this one before it eluded me, but I did get one serviceable photo, which I have included in my album SIDaveOdes.  I suspect this is also an L. australis, possibly immature as indicated by the limited pruinosity.  I found the design on S2 interesting, but none of my literature discusses this mark.  The cerci and paraprocts are not clear in the photo, so I am not sure a definitive ID can be made.  The thoracic pattern seems right, and the antehumerals narrow drastically just before the wing frame.  If anyone can offer any constructive feedback, either pro or con, I would be appreciative.

A complete list of species for the above locations follows:

Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
Swamp Darner (Epiaeschna heros)
Unicorn Clubtail (Arigomphus villosipes)
12-Spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)
Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)
Painted Skimmer (Libellula semifasciata)
Bar-Winged Skimmer (Libellula axilena)
Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)
Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina)
Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicolis)
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera)
Meadowhawk (Sympetrum Sp., teneral female)
Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)
Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa)
Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata)
Slender Spreadwing (Lestes rectangularis)
Swamp Spreadwing (Lestes vigilax)
Southern Spreadwing (Lestes australis)
Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis violacea)
Attenuated Bluet (Enallagma daeckii)
Orange Bluet (Enallagma signatum)
Azure Bluet (Enallagma aspersum)
Skimming Bluet (Enallagma geminatum)
Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita)
Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis)

David W. Eib
SIDfA
The Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas

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