2014 Survey of Odonata of the Upper Mississippi and Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuges Dan Jackson, S2256 County Hwy K, Chaseburg, WI 54621 Introduction 2014 was the second flight season covered by a special use permit to survey Odonata on the Upper Mississippi and Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuges. Unfortunately, once again, high water and equipment problems reduced the number of outings that I was able to take via boat onto the refuges. Therefore, I again spent the majority of my survey effort on dry land adjacent to various wetlands on the refuges, often during my lunch breaks or at the end of my work day. This effort included 67 location surveys on about 40 different dates from April 25, 2014, when I spotted my first Anax junius (Common Green Darner) of the year, until October 20, 2014, when I went out and saw a few butterflies but no Odonata. I tried to take pictures and record sightings of other insects and spiders that I spotted while surveying for Odonata. I was able to record 232 sightings of various insects and 1 sighting of a spider in addition to 498 sighting records of Odonata. A summary of those sightings will be included at the end of my Odonata survey results. 2014 was an interesting year for surveying Odonata. Spring was relatively late, with the first Odonata seen 2-3 weeks later than normal. The Mississippi River was also very high in May and June and this made surveying very difficult during this period. Despite the slow start, Odonata seemed to catch up by early June and initial sighting dates of many species became closer to normal. In general, I noticed that the overall numbers of many species was significantly reduced this year. This was especially true for Skimmers and Pond Damselflies. I found most of the species that I would expect, but in general saw fewer individuals – especially of species where the nymphs live in relatively shallow, quiet water. I don’t have scientific proof, but wonder if the especially long and cold winter had an impact on these species. The flight did extend into October as it did in 2013. However, there were fewer sightings of late individuals of species this year than in 2013. Cold weather in late October ended the season, even for Sympetrum vicinum (Autumn Meadowhaw) which I have seen in November in other years. Method Time was spent surveying from a boat on the refuges and surveying on land adjacent to various aquatic habitats on the refuges. When I was surveying on or at the edge of the water, I made a special effort to record breeding activity (pairs in tandem, patrolling males, and/or ovipositing females). Flying adults were photographed and/or netted when that was required to make a positive ID. I did not keep any specimens this year. Odonata spend a significant part of their adult life stage away from water. Immediately after they emerge, tenerals typically make their first flight away from water in order to avoid confrontation with adults and to find good feeding locations. They typically spend a few days to a couple of weeks eating and maturing before they head back to water habitats to mate and reproduce. Therefore, surveying of upland areas adjacent to various water habitats can be a good way of finding large numbers of immature adults and sometimes mature adults that are feeding and resting. Results Over the course of the 2014 flight season, I recorded 45 species of Odonata on pools 6 through 10 of the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge and the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. Some of these species were very common and seen on a regular basis and others were relatively rare and often only found at a single spot on a single outing. The following is a summary of my findings by family. Sub-Order Zygotera – Damselflies Family Calopterygidae – Broad-Winged Damselflies Broad-winged Damselflies prefer moving, more highly oxygenated water. In 2014, I found all three species of this family that I would expect to find in this region during my surveys on the refuges (Calopteryx aequabilis – River Jewelwing, Calopteryx maculata – Ebony Jewelwing, and Hetaerina americana – American Rubyspot). However, all were found on the Trempealeau River in or adjacent to the Trempealeau NWR and not on the Mississippi. In the past, I have found Hetaerina americana on the Mississippi. However, I did not this year. There were good numbers of both males and females of all three species present on the Trempealeau River, but reproduction activity was not noted. Family Lestidae – Spreadwing Damselflies I found three species of Spreadwings during my refuge surveys in 2014. The most common was Lestes rectangularis (Slender Spreadwing). It was documented with fifteen sightings that were spread over 4 counties in Wisconsin ranging from Grant County in the south to Trempealeau County in the north. These included Vernon, La Crosse, Grant, and Trempealeau Counties. I also had three sightings of Lestes unguiculatus (Lyre-tipped Spreadwing) and two sightings of Lestes inaequalis (Elegant Spreadwing). More species are likely present on the refuges but poor conditions in June and few opportunities to get on the water limited my ability to find them. Family Coenagrionidae – Pond Damselflies As expected, the pond damselflies were well represented on the Mississippi river in 2014. Most of the species of this family prefer still water areas with abundant vegetation. There are also a few species that prefer moving, well oxygenated water. Since both of these types of habitat occur on the upper Mississippi River, it is not a surprise that I found 9 species including members of both of these groups in the appropriate habitat. The diversity and numbers of this family were low this year – perhaps due to the long and harsh winter or the prolonged flooding. Along the edge of the main channel and along the shore of sloughs with relatively fast current, I once again found that Argia apicalis (Blue-fronted Dancer) and Enallagma exulans (Stream Bluet) were widespread and present in good numbers. I also found several Argia moesta (Powdered Dancer) along the channel in Pool 6. I have found them in previous years on other pools, but was unable to check in appropriate areas this year during the peak of their flight period. I did not detect Argia tibialis (Blue- tipped Dancer) on the Mississippi River this year but that is also mostly due to lack of surveying activity during the peak of their flight period in appropriate habitat In quiet water locations and in the upland areas nearby, Enallagma caranculatum (Tule Bluet), Enallagma geminatum (Skimming Bluet), Enallagma signatum (Orange Bluet), and Ischnura verticalis (Eastern Forktail) were common throughout the middle of the summer with the flight period for I. verticalis extending from early June to the end of August. I did not find Enallagma boreale (Boreal Bluet) in 2014 but did find Enallagma erbium (Marsh Bluet) on four occasions. These are early fliers and the high water in May and June could have affected emergence and/or my ability to detect them. Enallagma civile (Familiar Bluet) is a relatively late flying damselfly and it was consistently detected in small numbers from early August to mid-October. This species can fly as early as June and this year I did find one adult on June 17th. That was an outlier as they were not found again until early August. I also found Nehalennia Irene (Sedge Sprite) at two refuge locations this year. This is not a real surprise since I do find them in other locations in the region Sub-Order Anisoptera – Dragonflies Family Aeshnidae – Darners During 2014, five species of Darners were found during my refuge surveys. Anax junius (Common Green Darner), which is a migrant, was again the most common and was the first dragonfly seen in the spring and one of the last seen in the fall. The second-most common Darner that I found on the Mississippi in pools 6-10 is Aeshna constricta (Lance-tipped Darner). These were present in high numbers in 2014 and were found in grassy open areas adjacent to backwaters from mid-July through early October. In late September, I found large numbers of these flying over shallow backwater areas with arrowhead in pool 9. Although I did not see any ovipositing females, I did see many males defending territories and also several pairs in wheel and tandem. I am fairly confident that they are using that habitat for reproduction. Small numbers of Aeshna Canadensis (Canada Darner) and Aeshna umbrosa (Shadow Darner) were seen along the river this year including new county record sightings in Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties in Wisconsin. I also had a single sighting of Aeshna verticalis (Green-striped Darner) in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. Family Gomphidae – Clubtails Pond Clubtails – Arigomphus This year was another tough year for finding early Clubtails on the Mississippi River. Once again, the water conditions were not optimal and did not allow me to get out on the water during their flight season. However, I did see several Arigomphus submedianus (Jade Clubtail) just south of the Wyalusing State Park boat landing (pool 10). This is one of the best locations for this Clubtail which is very rare in the state of Wisconsin and, although I was there at the end of their flight period, they were well represented. Common Clubtails – Gomphus In 2014, I only saw two species of Gomphus clubtails on the Mississippi. This was a direct result of high water conditions and poor weather that hampered my survey efforts in June. My sightings included sightings of 5 Gomphus fraternus (Midland Clubtail) on the dike on the west side of French Island on June 17 and a late sighting of a single male Gomphus vastus (Cobra Clubtail) along the channel of Pool 10 on August 2nd.