Ed and his wife, Lisa, recently completed a draft of a checklist of the beautiful but elusive species of dragonflies and damselflies that populate our area. The field test had two aims: One, to see if the check list and a basic guide could enable people totally unfamiliar with these insects to learn to identify them with binoculars and capture specimens with a net. The second aim was to determine if these newcomers to the field would find it engaging enough to continue watching these insects on their own.

The group assembled at FSAB offices on the morning of June 27. Dr. Keppner briefed the participants on the basics of observing and identifying dragonflies through binoculars. Characteristics to look for include the color and shape of the body, color of wings, color of patterns that may appear on the wings, shape and color of the structures at the tip of the dragonfly tail (cerci), the color and shape of specialized cells located at the front edge near the tip of the dragonfly wings (stigma), separation of males from females (males have a bump on the lower side of the third segment of their abdomen), and eye placement.

Dr.Keppner pointed out that dragonflies and damselflies are referred to collectively as odonates in the scientific literature. He said that all odonates are predators both as larvae and as adults. The larvae are aquatic and occupy a variety of flowing and still water habitats. The adults feed on mosquitoes and a wide variety of other insects including other odonates. The larvae feed on a variety of aquatic insects and other aquatic organisms. In turn, odonates are prey for a number of birds including Purple Martins.

After the briefing, the dragonfly/damselfly contingent made their way out to the site of the test, a large pond in the Lynn Haven Recreational Complex. The test group (left to right) Jill Blue-Reich, Alice Guay and Jane Sheppard, came equipped with binoculars and camera, while Dr. Keppner supplied the nets, his expertise, and two copies of the Keppner’s draft guide to dragonflies and damselflies in the area.

Almost immediately on arrival, a half dozen Four-spotted Pennants were identified as they rested on the cattails that populate the pond’s edge. Halloween Pennants, identified by their bright orange- and black-striped wings were spotted shortly thereafter. Other dragonfly species sighted as the crew made its way around the pond included the pretty, pink Roseate Skimmer, the fast-flying male Common Whitetail, the Blue Dasher, the bright green immature male Eastern Pondhawk, the bright blue adult male Eastern Pondhawk with white cerci, and the fierce Black Saddlebags (fierce when netted).

Damselflies were also encountered at the pond, nestled in the lower grasses along the banks. Jill Blue-Reich, an agile netter, captured a couple of good specimens in her net. First was a male Rambur’s Forktail, widely admired for its bright neon blues and greens. Next she snared a tiny red damselfly, later identified by Dr. Keppner as an immature female of Rambur's Forktail.

As the expedition moved on, the pond provided the group with a wide assortment of dragonflies to identify and capture. Jane Sheppard, who also proved to be a fearless expert with the net, worked hard trying to catch a variety of species she identified as the Common Whitetail male, the Black Saddlebags, and the Roseate Skimmer. All eluded capture, except for a Black Saddlebags, which bit Dr. Keppner as he was removing it from his net, leading to its quick release back into the wild. Jane was also able to net a Blue Dasher female and a pretty green male Eastern Pondhawk.

By the end of the morning, the dragonflies were off to a cooler habitat, and the team headed back into town. Jill had this to say: "I learned so much and had such a great time. I had so much fun watching, catching and identifying these dragonflies and damselflies. I must admist, weilding the net was fun, too. Can't wait for the next adventure."

And the writer of this article? It was more fun that I thought it would be. Amazing how you get into the spirit of the hunt. I'm really looking forward to another outing. I want to idenfify, net and release a Roseate. They are so pretty.

The Keppners have been collecting data on dragonflies and damselflies for several years. In addition to their scientific reports on this work, they thought a checklist of this information might be useful to area residents with an interest in local wildlife. If enough interest in the project materializes, the Keppners will review and modify the draft of their checklist and run more field tests to make certain the guide and check list covers all the material a beginner needs.