I thank my friend Kathy Ferger for the following piece.–April Moore

     I find that learning the names of different species of animals or plants is rewarding because it teaches me to see and appreciate nature’s diversity at a whole new level. 

     I recently enjoyed a chance to learn some of the species of dragonflies and damselflies that inhabit Maryland from an expert in the field, Richard Orr.  Yes, I previously had admired dragonflies and damselflies — their aerial feats of flying and bright colors — but I had never tried to differentiate them beyond knowing that, when at rest, dragonflies hold their wings outstretched while damselflies hold their wings folded over their backs. 

     Richard took us to the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, where we explored the ponds, rivers, marshes and meadows.  With his trained eye and unerring netting of the creatures, what at first looked like a blur of zipping, zig-zagging creatures became individuals, males and females, mature and immature. 

     The easiest to identify is the Carolina Saddlebag, whose distinctive brown patches on its wings close to its back are easily visible as a blur over the back as it cruises along above the pond’s edge (and the dragonfly can use those dark patches as an umbrella to shade the dragonfly’s thorax when the sun is too hot!) 

     The Common Whitetail did not happen to be common that day, but the male, too, is easy to identify, with its black bands across the middle of both wings and a chalky white abdomen.  Here’s where it starts to get complicated – the females and immature males of many species of dragonflies and damselflies are differently colored and marked than the mature males:  useful to those creatures in finding an appropriate mate, but confusing to us humans! 

     An easy ID is the Halloween Pennant, aptly named for the males’ orange and brown wings and red body, and the females’ yellow and brown wings. 

     Among the damselflies, the ebony jewelwing takes a beauty prize, in my estimation, with its wide black wings and metallic emerald body. 

      I’ve only mentioned some of the most distinctive ones we saw, but the discipline of learning to distinguish among some of the others leads to much more acute observation:  what color is the face, or the eyes? does the blue extend the full length of the abdomen or is it interrupted? are we near some rapids in a stream, the only place the American Rubyspot breeds? 

     I am grateful I had this opportunity to glimpse some of the amazing diversity and beauty of this ancient order of insects, and look forward to observing them with a more informed eye for many summers to come.

            For some great photos of these insects, go to Richard Orr’s website, www.marylandinsects.com and click on Odonata.  Scroll down past the checklists to click on photos.–Kathy Ferger

 

 

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