Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas

2011 Update

2011-05-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Thank You for visiting the SI Dragonfly Atlas' blog.

We are currently updating the blog, database and website. Please visit again in mid-June for our new look and information about the direction of the Atlas.

-Seth Wollney Section of Natural History Staten Island Museum

Workshop this Sunday!

2009-08-05T17:49:00.001-07:00

Field Workshop at Blue Heron Park
Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 12(noon)

We will be reviewing field techniques for counting and recording observations for the SIDfA project. Some dragonflies will also be netted for close-up inspection of field marks!

Meet in the Nature Center parking lots, 222 Pollion Rd.

For more information call Seth at 718-619-5905

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

Another New Species Added to the Island's List!

2009-08-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to SIDfA Volunteer, Anne Purcell for adding a new species to the Island's List! Anne found up to 7 Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) at the Silver Lake Reservoir on Monday, August 3. This is a common species in New York and New Jersey, but had eluded previous dragonfly researchers.

On Tuesday morning, Jarred Sutton and I took a trip to photograph (on right) and observe the new find. We were able to locate at least 4 males patrolling the shoreline!

The species can easily be viewed by searching the rocky/weedy shoreline of the north (little) side of the reservior from the paved walkways. Many Widow Skimmers were also noted, especially near the flag pole.

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

New Species Recorded for Staten Island

2009-07-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

Hi All...

Thanks to every one for starting to submit records to the data base!

Dave Eib, SIDfA volunteer discovered a large "Mosaic" darner at Walker Pond while surveying on June 25th. Luckily, the d-fly perched close enough for Dave to capture the stunning photograph on the right! Thanks to such an amazing photograph we were able to identify this amazing creature as Staten Island's first recorded Spatterdock Darn (Rhionaeschna mutata).

This is proof positive that more species occur on the island than are presently known about so new discoveries are out there to be made by the ardent observer...

Happy Dragonflying....
Seth

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

New Dragonfly Photo Set o Flickr

2009-07-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

The dragonfly activity has been very good the past few days! On average there are about 7 species flying at any one location! Visit the SIDfA Downloads page for the Protocol Manual and Field Data Forms. I am putting the final touches on the ID Key, which shall be posted by this weekend. You will need to download and install the PowerPoint Viewer 2003 to use the interactive ability of the Key. A .pdf version of the Key will also be available for download.

In addition to the Key, I've created a new "set" on Flickr for Staten Island Dragonflies (click here)

Happy Dragonflying!
Seth

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

Up And Running!

2009-06-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

The website is now up and running as it should be! Here's a few of the updates:

-Map Issue fixed for most browsers. If a window still pops up when you open the "submissions", just click OK, and enter the data.

-"Location" drop-down: a blank has been added for locations that are not on the drop down menu. Use this if the location you selected is not included on the drop down.

-You can only enter is one sighting at a time into the data base. Use the "Go Back" button in your browser window after each submission. This will show your last observation, so all you will need to do is change the sighting information (below the Map). Although the cursor in the Map will reset, the lat/lon information DOES NOT! So, don't worry about where the cursor is after your first entry.

-SIDfA KEY will be ready by Sunday evening.

Let's hope the rain clears up and dragonflies abound!

Be Well....

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

Friday Web Updates!

2009-06-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let every one know that some updates have been completely on the SIDragonfly web site!

I will be posting PDFs of the Manual and Field Data Form to the "Downloads" page tomorrow morning when I get to work. The Key, as presented Sunday, will hopefully be ready for downloading by Saturday afternoon.

The submissions page IS READY and can be used! For now, just leave the "Location Name" as "Blue Heron Park". Use of the Google Map will allow us to use GIS software to create maps and analyze locations.

Happy Dragonflying!

-Seth Wollney
SIDfA Project Coordinator
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

Web Site Fix-up!

2009-06-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

There are some new updates and tweaks scheduled for the SIDragonfly web site. These include:
-ADDING a page to download important information regarding SIDfA including Data Forms, Protocol Manual and Key to local dragonflies!
-Fixing the map function so no message is displayed
-Eliminating the need for a location name

Please visit again soon for updates! Thanks for contributing!

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

1st SI Dragonfly Atlas Workshop

2009-06-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

1st SI Dragonfly Atlas Workshop at Clay Pits Pond Park

We are very glad to report that the 1st SIDfA held at the Interpretive Center at Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve well attended and a good base of volunteers has been created! Paul Lederer and Seth Wollney presented a digital slide show which covered Dragonfly biology and behavior and then featured the new SIDfA Identification Key!

(photos by Jarred Sutton)

After the slide show presentation, a number of participants joined Paul and Seth for a walk to Sharrotts Pond for some field study! The group was not let down! Plenty of blue dasher, common whitetail and damselflies were actively foraging and courting near the observation deck. At one point, a female Common Green Darner landed on a little lily pad to oviposite before moving on.

(photo by Jarred Sutton)

Due to multiple requests, we are considering presenting the slide show again on July 2, 2009 at the Staten Island Museum. If you are interested, please e-mail me with you preferred time, either 11am or 2pm, at swollney@statenislandmuseum.org.

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

2009 Season Starting Up!

2009-05-28T08:33:00.001-07:00

The cool, rainy weather so fair this spring has brought a slow start to the Dragonfly season. Some of our early migrants, such as Common Green Darner and Common White-tail have started to patrol ponds in search of food and mates!

A field manual and recording forms will be made available within a few days for use when out collecting data.

Check back in a few days for updates on programs and field-work.

I will also be making my self available to any one interested in meeting up for "Dragonflying" out-side of a schedule walk or workshop. Please feel free to e-mail me at seth@sethwollney.com to set up a meeting date and location.

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

2009 Dragonfly Events

2009-02-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

The Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas (SIDA) is happy to announce some workshops during the 2009 season. Everyone who is interested in learning about Staten Island's Dragonflies, and how to be a part of the SIDA survey team is welcome to attend any, or all workshops. Workshops will be split between an indoor lecture about dragonflies, and an outdoor season with dragonfly experts. Workshops have been planned to coincide with "flight-periods" of the various species.

2009 List of Events:

April 5, 2009, 12:00pm
Blue Heron Nature Center, 222 Poillon Ave.
-Special attention will be given to the early emerging species, and some of the migratory species which will be gracing the skies.

June 14, 2009, 11:00am
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve, 2351 Veterans Rd West
-Summer's setting in, and new species are flying around. Come and learn how to identify a lots of new species!

July 19, 2009, 12 Noon
Conference House Park
-Summer Dragonflies at the southern most park in New York State.

August 9, 2009, 12 Noon
Blue Heron Pond Park, 222 Poillon Ave
-Fall season dragonflies will be emerging at this time of year! Meadowhawks, and pond-loving species will be the focus of this workshop

September 6, 2009, 11am
Long Pond Park, meet at PS 6 on Page Ave
-This is will be an outdoor workshop focusing on fall fliers, and migrants!

October Event: TBA

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

9/28 CLP

2008-09-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

Around 2PM, in Clove Lakes Park near the pine trees on Forest Avenue, there were about 7-8 Common Green Darners flying around. The weather was humid with cloud cover after morning rain.

Catherine Barron
9/28/2008

9/25 Nature Section Meet/SI Dragonfly Atlas

2008-09-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

At the SI Museum's Nature Section meeting on September 25, Seth Wollney made the announcement that the Section will be undertaking a five year study of dragonflies on Staten Island beginning in April 2009. The citizen science project will be called the Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas (SIDA) and will try to better understand the general distribution and abundance of dragonflies on the Island. A migration study will be a component of the study. Four lectures and four field work sessions will be offered and a portal for the collection and analysis of data is being developed.

William T. Davis, a founder of the SI Museum, published a list of Odonata, suborder Anisoptera, in 1898 and 1913. We are fortunate that a one hundred year comparison can be done.

Paul Lederer, SI Museum Researcher who has been observing and collecting dragonflies for the last 12 years, gave a lecture and slide show on the clear wing dragonflies of Staten Island. He talked about how to ID and about the habits of the dragonflies.

To prepare for the 2009 study, there will be an identification workshop for Sympetrums (meadowhawks) at Long Pond on Sunday, 9/28, at 10 AM.

Catherine Barron
Recording Secretary
Nature Section

Wolfe's Pond Park Dragonfly Study

2008-09-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, September 21, 2008, five member of the Nature Section met at Wolfe's Pond Park for what have become very enjoyable field experiences. We were joined by a new face to the SI Dragonfly Atlas, Wayne Mones. After spending sometimes looking at many blue dasher, a few eastern pondhawk, and a common green darner engaging in their daily behaviors, we visited the bluffs in hopes of observing some migration behavior!

We were graced with many black saddlebags, wandering glider, and common green darners "staging" along the low bluffs. Black saddlebags were parching in the vegetation, affording us extended periods of observation of a species that spends most of its time on the wing. I was actually about to net one as it flew by, so was able to get a chance to see the species up close.

The next Nature Section meeting on September 25th will feature a lecture by Paul Lederer, Museum Researcher, and local dragonfly expert! The meeting starts at 7:30pm at the Staten Island Museum, 75 Stuyvesant Place.

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

8/31 Clove Lakes Park

2008-09-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

On 8/31, after 4PM, at Clove Lakes Park, there were Eastern Amberwings, Perithemis tenera, Blue Dashers, Pachydiplax longipennis, Wandering Gliders, Pantala flavescens and Black Saddlebags, Tramea lacerata. The Ea. Amberwings and the Blue Dashers were at Martlings Pond which is very still with algae and some small tree branches sticking up above the water.

Catherine Barron

Sunday, August 31, 2008. Crooke's Point- Migrating Species Study

2008-08-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

It certainly looks like the Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas is growing a good volunteer base! Thanks to Catherine and Tom for their continued participation, and welcome to Anne! And thanks again to Paul for being such a great group-mentor!

Today's field study at Crooke's Point, Great Kills Park, focused on migrant species, and observing migration behavior. It is commonly known that certain species of dragonflies migrate in spring and fall, but this behavior is greatly understudied. To add data towards the natural history knowledge of dragonfly migration, a sub-project of S.I.D.A., the "Migration Project", will focus on collecting migration data from selected points around Staten Island.

4 members of the Section, including myself, met Mr. Lederer (Paul) at the Education Station where we obtained temporary passes allowing us to drive/park a Crooke's Point. After 15 minutes of chatting about future plans for S.I.D.A. and observations members of the group made this week, we headed out to Crooke's for some field work.

Left: Paul, Anne, Catherine and Tom examine a female Blue Dasher and use field guides to confirm ID, Aug. 31, 2008. Photo by Seth Wollney

The activity was bountiful! The winds weren't blowing in the best direction for migration, so the dragonflies were staging above the dunes, and some bushes. Almost immediately, Paul netted a damselfly in the dune grasses. Although S.I.D.A. is currently not atlasing damselflies, Mr. Lederer is keeping tract of what species are found on the island.

One thing can be said for the "migrant dragonflies", they certainly stay on the wing! With a little study the group was able to learn how to ID the common species. The most abundant species was black saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), with a few common green darner (Anax junius) and wandering glider (Pantala flavescens). A male and female twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella), and a handful of blue dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) were observed. Paul succeeded in netting a female Blue Dasher which the group was able to get study up-close. This is one of the only species whose females are commonly seen encountered in the field.

Above: Paul Lederer, Museum Researcher, showing the group a Blue Dasher, Aug. 31, 2008
Bottom Right: Anne and Catherin examine the dasher before she flies off, Aug. 31, 2008
Photos by Seth Wollney

Before the walk, Tom and I visited the "salt flats" where we observed our first Spot-winged glider (Pantala hymenaea). Paul tells us that about 10% of the Pantala (or gliders) you see on Staten Island are this species, but it's often difficult to seperate it from wandering glider. The only field mark to split the two species is a small spot at the base of the hind wing. Luckily, the individual we observed was perched in some phrags!

**Next Field Study and Walk**

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Get a lot of rest, this will be a long day! The current plan is to start at 8am at the Conference House for the Nature Section walk. Following this walk, S.I.D.A. will meet Mr. Lederer at Sharrot's Pond around 10:30 am. From there we may visit Blue Heron Park, or somewhere else on the south shore.

In other News:

-E-mail inquires can now be sent to statenislanddragonflyatlas@birdingonstatenisland.com
-An official home page for S.I.D.A. is currently in the works!

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History
Staten Island Museum

Aug. 24, 2008 - 1st Field Trip

2008-08-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, August 24, 2008, Paul Lederer lead a group of 4 members of the Nature Section on a dragonfly study at Pouch Camp. With nets in hand the group walked to the edge of Lake Orbach to look for some dragonflies. The day was cloudy, with the threat of rain looming over head which unfortunately meant lessened dragonfly activities. Mr. Lederer took the moments of slow activity to engage the group in discussion about general dragonfly knowledge which led to discussion of specific identification. At some point, Paul did net one of the few Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis), allowing the group to get close up looks of this very common species.

Above: Blue Dasher (Platydiplax longipennis), Aug 24, 2008. Photo by Jarred Sutton
Left: Paul Lederer, founder and lead-researcher of the Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas
Photo by Jarred Sutton, Aug. 24, 2008

Above: Group studying on the dock at Pouch Camp. Paul Lederer (left), Seth Wollney (standing, middle), Tom Dulski (sitting, middle), Catherine Barrons (right). Photo by Jarred Sutton.

After a while, the sun finally broke through enough to inspire some male blue dasher to patrol the edges of the lake, joined a few minutes later by a smaller number of slaty skimmer (Libellula incesta). Mr. Lederer was able to knock one the slaty skimmers with his net which made it possible for the group to get another in-hand study of these beautiful insects. While recovering, the bug allowed the group to use a loop for a magnified study of his cerci.

Right: Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta), Pouch Camp, Staten Island,

August 24, 2008, Photo by Jarred Sutton

Other species noted were: eastern amberwing (Perithemis tenera), common green darner (Anax junius), and single, female, yellow-legged meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum) was found by Seth Wollney, and Tom Dulski on the opposite side of the pond before the group met.

Above: Yellow-legged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum), Long Pond Park, 8/7/08.

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History

Opening Blog

2008-08-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

Greetings Dragonfly Enthusiasts!

This is the first blog-posting of the Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas (formerly Survey). The purpose of this blog is two-fold, to let current volunteers know what's going on, and to encourage new volunteers to join in the fun and get surveyeing.

Paul Lederer proposed the Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas (Survey) to the Staten Island Museum in 1996. Mr. Lederer wished to continue the work on Staten Island Odonata started in the late 19th century by William T. Davis. As often is the case on the island, we are fortunate to have the bonafide work of Mr. Davis to provides us with baseline data upon which we can base our current studies in many areas of Staten Island interest. Likewise, it is hoped that our current work will provide interesting historic insight to future generations.

In the summer of 2008, the Section of Natural History of the Staten Island Museum joined Mr. Lederer in the efforts to gain a current understanding of the Dragonflies of Staten Island. Over the next 5-years, the Section hopes to enroll new volunteers to assist in surveying for the atlas project. Similar project of much great scales have collected Odonata data in New York and other states over the past few years.

The remainder of the 2008 season will focus on learning how to identify dragonflies on the wing, and get closer looks when possible! The field work (survey) will start in April 2009. Between now and then workshops, and lectures are being planned for volunteers, and dragonfly enthusiasts. The first lecture in this series, given by Mr. Lederer, will be held at Nature Section meeting on September 25, 2008 at 7:30pm at the Staten Island Museum.

Happy Dragonfly Watching!

-Seth Wollney
Section of Natural History