Summer 2012 Bulletin of the Oregon Entomological Society
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Summer 2012 Bulletin of the Oregon Entomological Society Dragonfly Pond Watch—coming to a wetland near you! Celeste Mazzacano1 Dragonfly Migration Although dragonfly migration has been documented for over 100 years, there is still much to be learned, as we lack defini- Dragonfly migration is one of the most fascinating events in the tive answers to questions surrounding the environmental cues insect world, but also one of the least-known. This is even more that trigger migration, the adaptive advantages gained by the surprising when you consider that dragonfly migration occurs on subset of odonate species that migrate, reproductive activity of every continent except Antarctica. When people think of insect migration, the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a familiar figure, but the Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens), a widely distributed species also known as a regular mi- grant in North America, can travel 11,000 miles (17,700 km) across the Indian Ocean from Africa to India and back—more than twice the distance of the Monarch’s well-known annual journey. Only about 16 of our 326 dragonfly species in North America are regular migrants, with some making annual seasonal flights while others are more sporadic. The major migratory species in North America are Common Green Darner (Anax junius), Wandering Glider (Pantala flave- scens), Spot-winged Glider (P. hymenaea), Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), and Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum). Different species tend to dominate migration flights in different parts of the continent. Anax junius is our best-known migrant, moving in Common Green Darner (Anax junius) at North Bend, Coos County, Oregon. Photo by Ron Lyons. mass flights in the thousands to millions each fall from southern Canada and the northeastern US down migrants along their routes, southern extent of overwintering into the southern US, northern Mexico, and parts of the West grounds, and the relationships between resident and migratory Indies. Here in the West we are treated to the sight of thousands populations within the same species. The Migratory Dragonfly of Sympetrum corruptum (Variegated Meadowhawks) sweep- Partnership (MDP <www.migratorydragonflypartner- ing south along the coast in autumn, while Midwesterners can ship.org>), a collaborative effort among federal agencies, non- follow clouds of migratory dragonflies along the shores of the governmental programs, and academic institutions, is working Great Lakes. to gain a better understanding of dragonfly migration in North 1Staff Scientist/Aquatic Program Director, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation; Project Coordinator, Migratory Dragonfly Partnership; <[email protected]> Feel free to distribute this newsletter to others. Submit content to Ron Lyons (pondhawk @ uci.net). To be included on the distribution list contact Jim Johnson (jt_johnson @ comcast.net). Bulletin of the OES, Summer 2012 America, and to promote conservation of the vul- nerable wetland habitats on which these species rely. Dragonfly Pond Watch A major MDP initiative involves working with a network of citizen-scientists in Canada, the US, and Mexico to track the five main migratory species throughout the year. As a part of this initiative we re- cently launched Dragonfly Pond Watch, a volunteer- based program to investigate the annual movements of two major migratory dragonfly species in North America: Common Green Darner (Anax junius) and Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata). We decided to focus on these two species initially not only because they are regular migrants but also because they are among the easiest to identify even in flight, which is how most people are likely to see them. By visiting the same wetland or pond site on a regular basis, par- ticipants will be placed to note the arrival of migrant dragonflies moving south in the fall or north in the spring, and to record when the first resident adults of these species emerge in the spring. Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) at White City, Jackson County, Oregon. Photo by Jim Johnson Participants select a local pond (or ponds) and visit regularly throughout the season. The frequency of site visits is up to Collecting seasonal information at local ponds across North each volunteer; ideally it will be at least once per month, although America will increase our knowledge of the timing and location more frequent observations will be gladly accepted. There is no pre- of dragonfly migration, and expand our understanding of the scribed survey method; volunteers simply visit their ponds, record relationship between migrant and resident populations within observations of the two target species during the time they have the same species. If you would like to know more about this and available, and upload their data to the MDP website. Additional other initiatives of the MDP, visit our website <http://www. data regarding location, observation start and end time, presence or migratorydragonflypartnership.org>, Facebook page absence of Common Green Darner and Black Saddlebags, and ad- <https://www.facebook.com/MigratoryDragonflyP- ditional notes such as observed behaviors (i.e. mating, oviposition), artnership>, or project site <http://www.xerces.org/ stages (i.e. teneral or mature), and presence of exuviae can also be dragonfly-migration/projects/>. recorded. Photo vouchers or videos are encouraged when possible but are not required to submit data. A sample data sheet can be downloaded from the project website at <http://www.xerces. org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Pond_Watch_data_ sheet_03-07_20128.pdf>. Odonates of the Storm Ranch Section of the New River ACEC Ron Lyons Administered by the BLM, New River Area of Critical Environ- The Storm Ranch section has a wide variety of habitats. On mental Concern (ACEC) consists of several parcels of mainly the west side are the foredunes which can be accessed by boat ocean front land, comprising about 1356 acres, in northern Cur- or wading, but are closed throughout the summer months as ry and southern Coos Counties. The main areas are Floras Lake part of the Western Snowy Plover recovery program. The river in Curry County, and Storm Ranch (240 acres+ river shoreline is open to the ocean for much of the year, and so has a varying and foredunes) and Lost Lake (71 acres) in Coos County. New mix of salt and fresh water. Most of Storm Ranch on the east River itself flows north from Floras Creek through the ACEC, side of the river is stabilized sand dunes, stabilized mainly by separated from the ocean by a thin strip of sand dunes. Lost Shore Pines and undergrowth such as rhododendrons, huckle- Lake, the only inland area, is separated from New River and the berry and manzanita. There are small areas of open dunes and ocean by a stretch of Bandon State Natural Area. The area sur- meadow. (Recently, some of the Shore Pines have been removed rounding the ACEC lands supports a number of cranberry bogs to increase the area of open dunes.) During the rainy winter and several small lakes. months shallow temporary ponds form in some of the low-lying 2 Bulletin of the OES, Summer 2012 areas. Storm Ranch includes an old cranberry bog, which is largely overgrown but still has some small open water areas. Muddy Lake, or Mudd Lake on some maps, is a permanent shallow water body—the northern end is part of Storm Ranch, the larger southern portion is private land. Muddy Lake is largely surrounded by Shore Pine, right down to the water’s edge. There is a viewing platform/bird blind at the lake’s edge. A system of hiking trails allows one easy access to the various habitats found at Storm Ranch. There are picnic tables and wash- rooms at the main parking area and the boat launch for the river. Since 2002, I have visited Storm Ranch a num- ber of times looking for odonates and other insects. My visits however have not been evenly distributed, being concentrated in the late Looking north along the New River. Photo by Ron Lyons. spring and early summer (March through June). Over the years, I have found the 24 different Odonata recorded at Storm Ranch, New River ACEC. species of odonates listed at right. While most of these spe- cies have been associated with Muddy Lake, I have found both Family Lestidae, Spreadwing Damselflies damselfly and dragonfly larvae in some of the winter ponds. [92 Lestes disjunctus Northern Spreadwing odonate species have been found in Oregon.] Lestes dryas Emerald Spreadwing The Common Whitetail (a male, Plathemis lydia) and the Family Coenagrionidae, Pond Damsels Widow Skimmer (a male, Libellula luctuosa) have each been Enallagma annexum Northern Bluet seen only once, the former along one of the trails and the latter Ischnura cervula Pacific Forktail at Muddy Lake. Pacific Clubtails (Gomphus kurilis) and Western Ischnura erratica Swift Forktail Pondhawks (Erythemis collocata) have each been seen on several occasions but neither appears to be common at Storm Ranch. Family Aeshnidae, Darners All of these species are known to breed in the area. Anax junius Common Green Darner Rhionaeschna californica California Darner The Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) is a relatively recent Rhionaeschna multicolor Blue-eyed Darner addition to the odonate fauna of Coos County, first reported by Dan Hull who found it on 18 September 2005 at Shore Acres Family Gomphidae, Clubtails State Park [the point on the coast in Kerst and Gordon (2011)]. Gomphus kurilis Pacific Clubtail Cary Kerst reported finding it at Arizona Beach State Park in Curry County on 23 August 2010 (record at <OdonataCen- Family Corduliidae, Emeralds Cordulia shurtleffii American Emerald Epitheca spinigera Spiny Baskettail Family Libellulidae, Skimmers Erythemis collocata Western Pondhawk Leucorrhinia intacta Dot-tailed Whiteface Libellula forensis Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellula luctuosa Widow Skimmer Libellula quadrimaculata Four-spotted Skimmer Libellula saturata Flame Skimmer Pantala hymenaea Spot-winged Glider Plathemis lydia Common Whitetail Sympetrum corruptum Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum madidum Red-veined Meadowhawk Sympetrum pallipes Striped Meadowhawk Muddy Lake, Storm Ranch, New River ACEC.