I've been trying to observe odonates in the 100+ acres around us and describe which Odonates are out: where and when. This week (Feb 22, 23, 24) I've seen Fragile Forktails, Ischnura posita, near our pond, near the bungalow, and on the Karson City tract near the first and second runs. The most "well populated" area is what I am now going to christen as "the Delta" which is a triangle of muddy "land" situated in the middle of the second run (stream) in the swamp. There is dappled sunlight there and it seems to be a favorite location for damselflies. Last year until quite late in the year the area almost always had at least a few Furtive Forktails, Ischnura prognata.

I have yet to see any I. prognata, but the delta area as well as the areas along the first and second runs are full of I. posita including a few tenerals. On Feb 24 I observed 5 tenerals spread out along the first and second runs and on the delta. I found one Citrine Forktail, Ischnura hastata, at the north end of the first run in the swamp. There are about 30 I. posita for every one I. hastata at this point in time.

All of the damselflies I've seen are around the clumps of fresh green grass that is at least a foot tall. That is, the clumps that have been shorn off by deer grazing don't seem to attract the damselflies and neither do the dead/withered grass clumps that are still visible after having withered during the winter. The damselflies are near the green grass clumps although they do alight and perch on slender twigs near the clumps. They are strongly exhibiting the tapping behavior I noted last year with the I. prognata. The I. posita are really tapping like crazy and catching/eating a lot of mosquitoes. I noted two separate instances of I. posita tapping then catching and eating the mosquitoes they flushed.

The tenerals are very, very noticeable--they seem to spread and flap their wings more and their flight is more fluttery (hard to describe). They really catch my attention due to this fluttery, wide-winged flight. The ones I've seen seem to be I. posita upon inspection/photographing. They are light brown with light tan exclamation point markings on their thorax.

I've seen about equal numbers of male and female I. posita in the swamp. There are often two males near a female and one male will often chase the other male for a short distance. Sometimes it chases it away and sometimes, they give up after a second and go back to perching or foraging near the female. That is not to suggest that there are more males, however, as I came upon several spots where there were several females and perhaps only one, two, or no males nearby.

I am anxious to see when the I. prognata start to appear however and will continue to try to observe the inhabitants in the swamp on sunny days where the temperature is at least 70 F. That seems to be when the damselflies are really out in force.

Posted on February 25, 2023 02:55 PM by amypadgett