Now into March! Our earliest flying Odonata are recorded in March. Data indicate 34 adults, mostly Common Green Darner (27), then Variegated Meadowhawk (4), Fragile Forktail (2), Swamp Darner (1).
Watch the weather for south wind stormfronts that bring us the first wave of CGD. You can also anticipate by looking at iNat observations for states to the south (KY, TN, AL).
Here's the map. Darker counties are most recent (2017-2022). Note there were zero March observations in 2023.
This is the next step on thinking about our survey. Based on input, here is a new plot of observation and species data.
First individual days.
The dataset is all days from 2017-2023, Mar-Nov. 1,470 datapoints. The x axis is the number of observations on a day divided by the number of observers. The y axis is the percent of species recorded of the possible species maximum for the three distinct day periods for a month.
Relatively linear to start, up to about 8 observations/observer/day. This gets us half of the possible species.
Now a composite by calendar day. 246 datapoints - days with data summed across the 7 recent years.
Numbers are pretty scattered on the low end of observations, but close the gap at the upper right.
Newly emerged Common Green Darners (Anax junius) are being reported in southern states. Variegated Meadowhawks (Sympetrum corruptum) in good numbers now in Texas. The first Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) was recently reported in Tennessee. So it won't be long until we have adult Odonata in Ohio.
We're past our early Common Green Darner date, which was Mar 6. Today, Mar 12, is our early date on Variegated Meadowhawk. The early Ohio date on Fragile Forktail is Mar 20. Our other March flier is Swamp Darner (Epiaeschna heros), with an early date of Mar 29.
Other early flight dates can be reviewed on the Ohio Odonata Society web site at:
https://www.ohioodonatasociety.org/species-flight-range-by-early-date
I would note that our 2023 early observations were on Apr 3&4 with Common Green Darners and Variegated Meadowhawks.
Also, current wind patterns look good for pushing Dragons from Texas.
Here we go!
Mar 25 goes down as our first photos of Common Green Darner in Ohio. The day was warm with strong southern breeze.
iNat Observations include Montgomery, Hamilton, and Greene Counties. Yay.
Also, note iNat observations on Stream Cruiser, Blue Corporal, and Springtime Darner in Kentucky. These will soon begin to emerge in Ohio.
Check the Ohio Odonata Society web for details on and and flight for the species.
