Michael Powell spotted a large odonate exuvia clinging to the concrete abutment of a man-made dam located along a mid-size stream at an undisclosed location in Prince William County, Virginia USA.
This cast skin is definitely from a member of Family Macromiidae (Cruisers), as indicated by its long legs and the shape of its body.
13 APR 2021 | Prince William County, VA | Stream Cruiser (exuvia)
Mike’s macro photo of the same subject (shown below) turned out better than mine, taken with a superzoom bridge camera. Look closely at the full-size version of Mike’s photo. Nothing says Family Macromiidae (Cruisers) like the “horn” on the front of the face/head of the exuvia!
Photo used with written permission from Michael Powell.
The following excerpt from Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz, shows the couplet that I think indicates this specimen is from a Stream Cruiser dragonfly (Didymops transversa).
Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, by Ken Soltesz
The adult flight periods for the three species of cruisers found in Northern Virginia provide circumstantial evidence in support of my tentative identification. Source Credit: “Dragonflies of Northern Virginia” Web site by Kevin Munroe.
- Stream Cruiser (4/09 – 5/29) Peaks mid-April to mid-May.
- Swift River Cruiser (5/22-9/10) Peaks mid June early Aug.
- Royal River Cruiser (6/17-9/10) Seen most July-August.
What’s next?
The specimen was collected in order to shoot a complete set of macro photographs of the exuvia in my home “studio.”
Related Resources
Copyright © 2021 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: Didymops transversa, exuvia, Family Macromiidae (Cruisers), Stream Cruiser dragonfly
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