LOCALadk Magazine

18 Spring 2018 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk Story and Photos By Joann Herrmann Dragonflies and damselflies are two insects that have intrigued me since childhood. The more I learn about them the more fasci- nating they become. And I am not alone in my interest. Obser ving, photographing, and studying insects in the order Odonata, which means "toothed ones," is becoming as popular as birding. (And for those who like to sleep in, this would be the preferable pastime. Odonata need warmth for the dew to dr y from their wings and for their bodies to absorb heat before they can fly. This means they are not early risers.) Dragonflies belong to the suborder Anisoptera, meaning "differ- ent wings"; their hindwings are larger and shaped differently than their forewings. Damselflies are of the suborder Zygoptera, mean- ing "same wings"; both their hindwings and forewings are similar in size and shape. Dragonflies and damselflies differ in many other ways as well. Dragonfly bodies are stout; damselflies are slender. Dragonflies perch with their wings flat, and damselflies perch with their wings held over their back. The eyes are also useful in differ- entiating the two suborders. Dragonflies have eyes that appear to connect to one another, whereas damselflies always have a distinct separation between their eyes. In the Adirondacks, from early spring into late autumn, as many as 120 species of Odonata may be obser ved. Male and female of each species have distinct coloring. Therefore, you may find more than 240 variations in coloring and markings. Both dragonflies and dam- selflies have outstanding colors, from the brilliant red of the Calico Pennant male dragonfly or the male Eastern Red Damselfly, to the green-blue of male Common Green Darner dragonflies and the me- tallic green and black of the male Ebony Jewelwing damselfly. Like birds, the males of each species are more vibrant than the females. The females subdued coloring allows them to be unobtrusive while laying eggs. Identification of dragonflies and damselflies is further organized into family, genus, and species. The life cycle of all Odonata includes a lengthy aquatic stage as egg and lar va. In some families, the lar val stage lasts up to several years. Eventually, the lar vae emerge from the water, and then from the lar val cases (exuviae), to make stun- ning appearances as winged adults. As adults, dragonflies and damselflies may be eaten by birds, am- phibians, or hungr y mammals, especially while they are in the vul- nerable stage of emerging, or while dr ying their wings before their first flight. The life expectancy of an adult dragonfly or damselfly with good fortune is about three months. All winged Odonata are in the adult phase of their lives, but they come in a wide range of sizes. The largest dragonflies in our area be- long to the Darner family. Some are more than two inches in length. The Elfin Skimmer dragonflies are only 0.8 inches long, not much larger than honey bees. The males of this species are powder y blue, but the females are striped with brown and yellow; they could easily be mistaken for bees. You may begin seeing Common Green Darners as early as the end of April or early May. Common Green Darners migrate, like Monarch Butterflies. Since they don't have to surface from the Adirondack waters and emerge from lar val cases, they can arrive here soon af- ter the ice is off the water. Weekly, different species of dragonflies and damselflies will appear, while others disappear. Dragons and Damsels Ebony Jewelwing Damsel

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