Selys’s Sundragon dragonfly (male)

I discovered a Selys’ Sundragon dragonfly (Helocordulia selysii) during a recent photowalk with Michael Powell at an undisclosed location in Prince William County, Virginia USA. Selys’s Sundragon is a new species for my Life List of odonates and for Prince William County, VA. [Odonata Species (p. 1 of 2) — current as of 14 April 2021 — shows part of the species list for Prince William County before Selys’s was added.]

This individual is a male with a malformed abdomen. Notice his abdomen is twisted so that the terminal appendages aren’t in their usual alignment. The cerci should be on top and the epiproct should be on the bottom; they aren’t where they should be.

13 APR 2021 | Prince William County, VA | Selys’s Sundragon (male)

All male dragonflies have three terminal appendages, collectively called “claspers,” that are used to grab and hold female dragonflies during mating. Male dragonfly terminal appendages don’t look exactly the same for all species of dragonflies, but their function is identical. The misalignment of this Selys’s terminal appendages might be a problem when attempting to form the “wheel position” with females.

The Backstory

Mike Powell and I were men on a mission to photograph Uhler’s Sundragon dragonflies (Helocordulia uhleri). The sky was completely overcast when we arrived at our destination. According to the weather forecast, the sky was supposed to clear around 1:00 pm, and sure enough it did. Soon afterward, we spotted our first Uhler’s of the day and spent some time photographing several individuals.

All of the Uhler’s we saw were female. At some point I said to Mike (paraphrasing) “I need to photograph at least one male before we leave!” I walked a little farther downstream from a place where Mike was shooting macro photos of a very cooperative female Uhler’s. That’s when I spotted the male shown in the preceding photo.

My first impression was the dragonfly seemed to be noticeably smaller than the female Uhler’s we had been photographing. Turns out I was right! According to Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East by Dennis Paulson, Uhler’s are 41-46 mm in total length (4.1-4.6 cm) and Selys’s are 38-41 mm in total length (3.8-4.1 cm). For those of you keeping score at home, that’s only ~1.5″ long — small for many if not most dragonflies!

Related Resource: Selys’s Sundragon dragonfly – a blog post by Michael Powell, my good friend and photowalking buddy.

Copyright © 2021 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Are adult Autumn Meadowhawks arboreal?

Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum) is classified as a fall species of odonate. In the mid-Atlantic United States, meadowhawks seem to disappear for several months after they emerge during early to mid-summer and reappear during fall. Where do they go? No one knows for sure. I speculate Autumn Meadowhawk is an arboreal species of dragonfly that returns to the ground/water when it’s time to mate.

Emergence

The first individual — photographed soon after emergence — is a/an teneral/immature male, as indicated by the tenuous appearance of his wings, coloration, and terminal appendages.

24 JUN 2016 | HMP | Autumn Meadowhawk (teneral/immature male)

The next individual is a/an teneral/immature female, as indicated by the tenuous appearance of her wings, coloration, and terminal appendages.

24 JUN 2016 | HMP | Autumn Meadowhawk (teneral/immature female)

Time to mate

Fall is the time to mate for mature adult Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (S. vicinum), as you can see in the following photo.

15 NOV 2013 | HMP | Autumn Meadowhawk (mating pair, “in wheel”)

This mating pair is “in wheel”: the male is on the upper-left; the female is on the lower-right. All dragonflies and damselflies have a 10-segmented abdomen, numbered from front to back: male dragonfly secondary genitalia, called hamules, are located in segments two and three (S2 and S3); female genitalia in segment eight (S8). Dragonflies form the mating wheel in order for their genitalia to connect during copulation.

Forest Canopy Walk at Vermont Institute of Natural Science

Observing dragonflies at the Earth’s surface is fairly easy; observing dragonflies at the treetops, not so much. The new Forest Canopy Walk at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) should facilitate the latter.

During 2020, I hope to collaborate with Kelly Stettner, Black River Action Team (BRAT), and Anna Morris, Lead Environmental Educator, VINS, to gather evidence that supports my speculation that adult meadowhawk dragonflies are arboreal. Field observations will be collected on the ground and along the Forest Canopy Walk.

Hosted by Anna Morris, Kelly Stettner and her family scouted the VINS site on 05 October 2019, including the new Forest Canopy Walk and nearby water bodies that provide suitable habitat for Autumn Meadowhawk. Special thanks to Anna for providing a behind the scenes tour a week before the official opening of the Forest Canopy Walk.

Gallery photos used with permission from Kelly Stettner, BRAT.

A week later, Autumn Meadowhawk was observed along the Forest Canopy Walk for the first time. The following photos provide circumstantial evidence that we might be on the right track. I love it when a plan comes together!

Gallery photos used with permission from Anna Morris, VINS.

I’m happy to share that during our public Forest Canopy Walk opening today [12 October 2019], I was stationed at the Eagle platform and got to see two (2) meadowhawks zooming around, then perched on the railing (pictures attached)! This is about 60 feet up, near a Sugar Maple and a Red Oak. [More meadowhawks were seen] the next day at nearly 90 feet up! At this height and as it was so sunny there were at least four individuals zooming around, landing on visitors, etc. Source Credit: Anna Morris, Lead Environmental Educator, VINS.

Related Resources

• Data mining for Autumn Meadowhawk, a follow-on blog post by Walter Sanford.
• Fall Foliage on the Forest Canopy Walk! by VINS YouTube (0:42)

Copyright © 2019 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Aurora Damsel (mating pair, in heart)

The mating pair of Aurora Damsel (Chromagrion conditum) shown in the following photograph is “in wheel,” in which the male uses “claspers” (terminal appendages) at the end of his abdomen to hold the female by her neck/thorax while they are joined at their abdomens. The male — blue, yellow, and black in color — is on top; the female — yellow and black in color — is on the bottom.

The copulatory, or wheel, position is unique to the Odonata, as is the distant separation of the male’s genital opening and copulatory organs. Source Credit: Paulson, Dennis (2011-12-19). Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East (Princeton Field Guides) (Kindle Locations 377-378). Princeton University Press. Kindle Edition.

The wheel position is sometimes referred to as “in heart” when damselflies mate.

04 JUN 2019 | PNC. William County, VA | Aurora Damsel (mating pair)

Female C. conditum is polymorphic, including two morphs: an andromorph with blue coloration similar to male; or a heteromorph with an entirely yellow thorax, as shown above.

It’s helpful to take photos of mating pairs of damselflies, especially “in wheel,” since males and females of the same species can look quite different.

Taxonomy

C. conditum is a monotypic genus in the Family Coenagrionidae (Narrow-winged Damselflies).

Copyright © 2019 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Mosquito Hawks

I’m honored to announce several of my dragonfly photographs are featured on new signage at Melvin L. Newman Wetlands Center, Clayton County, Georgia. The info-graphic, entitled “Mosquito Hawks,” was created by Danielle Bunch, Senior Conservationist for Clayton County Water Authority.

Image used with permission from Danielle Bunch.

As a retired K-12 science educator, I know from first-hand experience that informal learning opportunities can be as valuable as formal education in school classrooms. I was glad to contribute several of my photographs of Common Green Darner dragonflies (Anax junius) to the new info-graphic for the wetland area. It’s flattering to share the stage with Giff Beaton, author of Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast.

Full-size versions of my photographs (featured on the signage) appear in several previous posts on my photoblog.

• Common Green Darner dragonflies (Part 2) [Mating Wheel]
• Common Green Darner dragonfly (mating pair, in tandem, oviposition) [Oviposition]
• What’s my gender? [Adult Female]

Related Resources

• Vernal Pools are Wet and Dry
• Chesapeake Explorer

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Sable Clubtail dragonfly (female)

A Sable Clubtail dragonfly (Stenogomphurus rogersi) was spotted perched near a small stream located in Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This individual is a female, as indicated by her rounded hind wings and terminal appendages.

Female: Colored like male but a bit more yellow on abdomen, including fine dorsal lines on segments and prominent patches on edges of S8–9. Source Credit: Paulson, Dennis (2011-12-19). Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East (Princeton Field Guides) (Kindle Locations 6092-6093). Princeton University Press. Kindle Edition.

The first photo is the best shot from a set of “record shots,” that is, quick-and-dirty shots that provide a record of the spotting. As is. This is the first female Sable Clubtail that I have seen.

05 JUL 2018 | Fairfax County, VA | Sable Clubtail (female)

The next photo is my favorite in the set. Notice the tattered wings of this mature female — looks like she’s been working hard to perpetuate the small population of S. rogersi at this location!

05 JUL 2018 | Fairfax County, VA | Sable Clubtail (female)

The last photo provides a dorso-lateral view of the female.

05 JUL 2018 | Fairfax County, VA | Sable Clubtail (female)

New late date for Northern Virginia

The adult flight period for Sable Clubtail is from 08 June to 25 June (peaks in mid-June) according to records for Northern Virginia maintained by Kevin Munroe, former manager at Huntley Meadows Park. 05 July extends the old record by 10 days.

According to records for the Commonwealth of Virginia maintained by Dr. Steve Roble, a zoologist at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, 21 May to 24 July is the adult flight period for S. rogersi.

Reproducing population

There is a small reproducing population of S. rogersi at this location, as evidenced by my spotting of a mature female and Dr. Edward Eder’s observation of a mating pair (in wheel) on 21 June 2018. Great catch, Ed!

Image used with permission from Dr. Edward Eder.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Ebony Jewelwing damselflies (mating pair)

A mating pair of Ebony Jewelwing damselflies (Calopteryx maculata) was spotted near a small forest stream at Occoquan Regional Park. The male is shown on the left; the female on the right.

24 JUN 2018 | Occoquan Regional Park | Ebony Jewelwing (mating pair)

The damselflies are “in wheel,” in which the male uses “claspers” (terminal appendages) at the end of his abdomen to hold the female by her neck/thorax while they are joined at their abdomens. The wheel position is sometimes referred to as “in heart” when damselflies mate.

24 JUN 2018 | Occoquan Regional Park | Ebony Jewelwing (mating pair)

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (mating pairs, in wheel)

Several mating pairs of Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum) were spotted during a photowalk around a vernal pool at a remote location in Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA.

22 OCT 2017 | HMP | Autumn Meadowhawk (mating pair, “in wheel“)

Both pairs are “in wheel“: the male is on top; the female is on the bottom.

All odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) have a 10-segmented abdomen, numbered from front to back. Male dragonfly secondary genitalia, called hamules, are located in segments two and three (S2 and S3); female genitalia in segment eight (S8). Dragonflies form the mating wheel in order for their genitalia to connect during copulation.

22 OCT 2017 | HMP | Autumn Meadowhawk (mating pair, “in wheel“)

Editor’s Note: Careful readers may be thinking “Hey, wait a minute — you said you spotted several mating pairs, but the post features photos of just two pairs.” Good catch! The photos of two more mating pairs didn’t make the final cut because the focus was slightly soft in all of those photos.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (mating pairs)

This blog post features more photos taken using my Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera, Fujinon XF55-200mm zoom lens, and a Fujifilm MCEX-11 extension tube. The camera was set for manual focus in order to use focus peaking; back-button focusing was used to focus automatically.

In wheel

ISO 640 | 200mm (~300mm, 35mm equivalent) | f/11 | 1/500s | 0.33 ev

Two of many mating pairs of Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum) were photographed on 27 October 2017 at Hidden Pond, Meadowood Recreation Area, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. Both pairs are “in wheel“: the male is on top; the female is on the bottom.

ISO 800 | 200mm (~300mm, 35mm equivalent) | f/18 | 1/500s | 0 ev

In tandem

The last mating pair is “in tandem“: the male is on the upper-right; the female is on the lower-left.

ISO 800 | 200mm (~300mm, 35mm equivalent) | f/16 | 1/500s | 0 ev

After copulation, Autumn Meadowhawks engage in a form of guarding behavior known as “contact guarding,” in which the male and female fly “in tandem” to egg-laying sites. Contact guarding is used by some species of odonates to prevent aggressive males from hijacking the female.

Related Resource: Adding an 11mm extension tube, a blog post by Walter Sanford.

Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Quick and dirty macro photos (Part 2)

A mating pair of Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum) was spotted on 25 October 2017 during a photowalk along the boardwalk in the central wetland area at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This pair is “in wheel.” The female is the primary subject; the tip of the male’s red abdomen is the secondary subject.

The first photo is my favorite in the set.

ISO 100 | 56mm (~300mm, 35mm equivalent) | f/4.1 | 1/800s | -1 ev

All odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) have a 10-segmented abdomen, numbered from front to back. Notice the small black “rivets” around the joint between segments seven and eight (S7, S8) of the male’s abdomen. Does anyone know the function of these structures?

ISO 100 | 56mm (~300mm, 35mm equivalent) | f/4.1 | 1/800s | -1 ev

Each compound eye has approximately 30,000 ommatidia!

ISO 100 | 56mm (~300mm, 35mm equivalent) | f/4.1 | 1/800s | -1 ev

Tech Tips

The photographs in this gallery were taken using my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 superzoom digital camera set for ~12x zoom, Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter, and Canon 580EX Speedlite external flash (manual mode). The close-up filter screws onto the front of the camera lens using a 52-43mm step-down ring.

I estimate the “working distance” between the camera and subject was approximately three-to-six inches (~3-6″). I attempted to photograph several mating pairs of Autumn Meadowhawks; this is the only pair that allowed me to get close enough to shoot some macro photos.

Related Resource: Quick and dirty macro photos (Part 1), a blog post by Walter Sanford featuring photos of male Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies.

Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Time to mate (Fall 2017)

I speculate Blue-faced Meadowhawk is an arboreal species of dragonfly that returns to the ground/water when it’s time to mate.

03 OCT 2017 | HMP | Blue-faced Meadowhawk (mating pair, “in wheel“)

A mating pair of Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum ambiguum) was spotted near a drainage ditch alongside a vernal pool at a remote location in Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This pair is “in wheel“: the male is on top; the female on the bottom. The female is a heteromorph, as indicated by her tan coloration.

03 OCT 2017 | HMP | Blue-faced Meadowhawk (mating pair, “in wheel“)

All dragonflies and damselflies have a 10-segmented abdomen, numbered from front to back: male dragonfly secondary genitalia, called hamules, are located in segments two and three (S2 and S3); female genitalia in segment eight (S8). Dragonflies form the mating wheel in order for their genitalia to connect during copulation.

Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.