California's Year 2005 Dragonfly Sightings

in order from MOST recently to LEAST recently seen!

Please send your sightings, with date, county and location as displayed below to

date
County
your name
place, etc.
species common name &/or scientific name - #s & other data, comments
species common name &/or scientific name - #s & other data, comments
etc.
THANKS!

Species will be posted using either the Common Name or the Scientific Name, whichever the sender uses (inc. using both), but all first sightings of the year, county records, and new flight data will be posted using both names. To contact the person making the sighting, see the key at bottom of this site.

COUNTY RECORDS are underlined and in red text
*= first/last sighting of species of year in CA
**= possibly new flight data for species in CA
#= possibly a migratory event

As of the most recent date below
105 species (out of 109 known species) were reported to this site as flying in CA in 2005.

This is the MOST species ever reported from any one year in CA since I started tracking the data in 1998 – kb.

~68 new county records &/or upgrades to county records were made this year (this # includes upgrades of previous 'sighting only' records, newly accessed museum collections and new reports of prior year’s data).

`Sighting only' records need further documentation, but please report them so we can try to get substantiation. There may be some upgrades of previous `sighting only' records and new specimen records from recently examined museum/private collections listed. If you find such a record, please email it to Kathy Biggs <bigsnest@sonic.net>
County records should be substantiated with specimen (preferable) or photo and notes.

Contributor’s emails listed at end of document

December 2005

December 29, 2005

Imperial County

Bob Miller

Salton Sea

I photographed a male Variegated Meadowhawk* near the Salton Sea.

December 28, 2005

Sacramento County

Art Shapiro

West Sac.

…. saw a Sympetrum

December 9, 2005

Santa Clara County

John Hall, David Edwards

Monte Bello OSPpond

Spotted Spreadwing** 3 [new late flight data – kb] - 2m,1f in ovipositing position

Female was alone but arching abdomen in an ovipositing position

although we never actually saw any eggs being placed. She was doing

this on dead brown leaves of reeds about 1 meter above ground. She

flew from leaf to leaf and repeated this posture. She and one male

appeared fairly fresh. The other male was worn with somewhat tattered

wings.

December 5, 2005

Alameda County

John Hall, David Edwards

Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area

Familiar Bluet* 2

Pacific Forktail* 5

December 2, 2005

Alameda County

John Hall, David Edwards

Sunol Regional Wilderness

American Rubyspot** 5 [new late flight data – kb]

Variegated Meadowhawk 3

-----

Imperial County

Bob Miller

Common Green Darners*

November 2005

November 29, 2005

Doug Aguillard

San Diego County

I saw at least 3 Blue-eyed Darners Rhionaeschna multicolor** (newest latest date;-) in the Tijuana River valley, 2 at previously described area, and one at Dairy Mart Pond, also in the valley.

Common Greens were abundant.

November 26, 2005
Santa Clara County
John Hall, David Edwards
Monte Bello OSP - Pond
Spotted Spreadwing** 2 [new late flight data – kb]
Familiar Bluet 1
Striped Meadowhawk** 1 [new late flight data – kb]
We also walked around Horseshoe Lake in Skyline Ridge but no dragonfly activity was noted.

November 25, 2005

Tim Manolis

Orange County

We found the following around the marshy ponds in the drainage basin below a new housing development, Ladera Ranch:

Common Green Darner -- 4, 2-3 of these males patrolling territorially along marshy drainage channels.

Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor** -- 1 male at these same ponds (newest latest date;-). We also saw a female mosaic darner in foraging flight over the trail on our walk, probably also a Blue-eyed (?)

Wandering Glider* -- 3 males (orange abdomens, no visible wing spots) seen, also another Pantala sp?, duller, might have been spot-winged, but not seen well enough to be sure).

Variegated Meadowhawk -- 5, all appeared to be males, some behaving territorially, e.g., chasing each other, around the marshy ponds.

November 20, 2005

Doug Aguillard

San Diego County

I went back to the small pond in the Tijuana River Valley to see the 3 Blue-eyed Darners** that I had yesterday, and I saw as many as 5 today, [new late date for CA –kb] along with 3 common Green Darners. I then went up to Escondido to Oak Hill Cemetery and saw 2 Red-tailed Pennants** ( new Late Date), 2 Flame Skimmers* (fresh), and 2 Familiar Bluets.

November 19, 2005

Doug Aguillard

San Diego County

Today, at a small pond in the Tijuana River Valley near Sunset Rd. & Hollister, I had up to 4 Blue-eyed Darners [tied for latest date ever reported in CA] and 5 Common Green Darners.

-----

Imperial County

Bob Miller

Various places….

Blue-ringed Dancer Argia sedula** [new late flight data by 2 days]

Desert Forktail, Ischnura barberi** only one male! [new late flight data by 2 days]

Familiar Bluet – several

Roseatte Skimmer Orthemis ferruginea * – last date reported in 2005

Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens

November 7, 2005

Paul Johnson

San Benito County

Temperatures around 70 are keeping the Odes going here at Pinnacles National Monument. I just saw my first immature gynomorphic female Pacific forktail. What a color combination!

I should have captured more of these to confirm IDs, but here's my list of recent observations. Photos of all the reservoir species can be viewed at:

http://www.photoworks.com/share/shareLanding.jsp?shareCode=AA251C1BF0E&cb=PW

November 6. 2005

San Benito County

Paul Johnson

North Wilderness Trail

variegated meadowhawk - 1

CA spreadwing* - 1

vivid dancer* – 1

November 5, 2005

San Benito County

Paul Johnson

South Wilderness Trail

mosaic darner - 1

CA spreadwing - 1

vivid dancer - 1

American rubyspot – 1

November 3, 2005

Yolo County

Greg Kareofelas

Nothing of interest Odon wise lately other than I saw a Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens last week (3rd of Nov which is later than I normally see them) [last date reported in 2005] here in Yolo County, The only other Ode is Sym corruptum now and then.

November 1, 2005

Alameda County

J Hall, D Edwards

Sunol Regional Wilderness

American Rubyspot 12

California Spreadwing 35

California Dancer* 2

Vivid Dancer 25

Familiar Bluet 6

**Northern Bluet 3 [new late flight data by two weeks! - kb]

Arroyo Bluet* 2

Pacific Forktail 1

Western Forktail* 3

Walker's Darner* 2 [last date reported 2005]

Mosaic Darner,sp 2

Variegated Meadowhawk 10

Striped Meadowhawk

October 2005

October 31, 2005

Paul Johnson

San Benito County

Bear Gulch Reservoir

blue-eyed darner - 3

cardinal meadowhawk* - 1 [last date reported in 2005]

variegated meadowhawk - 1

CA spreadwing - 2

spotted spreadwing - 1

familiar bluet

tule bluet*

(bluets abundant)

vivid dancer - 1

Pacific forktail - 3

Western forktail - 1

black-fronted forktail* – 1

October 29, 2005

Santa Clara County

J Hall, D Edwards

Monte Bello OSP pond

Northern Spreadwing* 1

Familiar Bluet 4

Mosaic Darner,sp 1

Blue-eyed Darner 1

Striped Meadowhawk 3

October 13, 2005

Alameda County

John Hall, David Edwards

Sunol Regional Wilderness

American Rubyspot 30

California Spreadwing 20

California Dancer 7

Vivid Dancer 25

Familiar Bluet 8

Bluet,sp 20

Northern Bluet 5

Arroyo Bluet 10

Pacific Forktail 2

Western Forktail 2

Desert Firetail* 2

Walker's Darner 5

Mosaic Darner,sp 7

Common Green Darner 2

Variegated Meadowhawk 8

October 10, 2005

Shasta County

Ray Bruun

I went looking for Autumn Meadowhawk in Shasta County. I checked several places and finally found them at Crystal Lake near the town of Cassel. I got pix and netted a female for county voucher. Crystal Lake has lots of really nice ode habitat.

Seen at Crystal Lake were:

black-fronted forktail - several (pix)

western forktail - several

spotted spreadwing - abundant

california spreadwing - at least one

western meadowhawk* - several males [last date reported in 2005]

white faced meadowhawk* - one male [with unusual red wing venation!- kb]

autumn meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum* – common NEW COUNTY RECORD with voucher specimen [last date reported in 2005]

aeshna sp. (at least one--that landed--looked like variable darner) - several

blue-eyed darner (probable) - several

A small pond along Hwy 89 had:

female spreadwing - spotted?

variegated meadowhawk - one male

aeshna sp. - one flying

October 6, 2005

San Benito County

John Hall, David Edwards

Coalinga Road and Laguna Creek

American Rubyspot 2

California Spreadwing 3

California/Aztec Dancer 1

Vivid Dancer 5

Tule Bluet 3

Northern Bluet 2

Arroyo Bluet 1

Western Forktail 5

Walker's Darner 1

Mosaic Darner,sp 2 (one newly emerged on rock)

Common Green Darner 1

Variegated Meadowhawk 1

San Benito River at Clear Creek Road Crossing and a spot about 12 miles upstream

American Rubyspot 15

California Spreadwing 52

California Dancer 1

California/Aztec Dancer 14

Sooty Dancer* 4

Vivid Dancer 10

Bluet,sp 10

Northern Bluet 5

Arroyo Bluet 8

Walker's Darner 2

Mosaic Darner,sp 5

Common Green Darner 1

Variegated Meadowhawk 7

October 5, 2005

Lassen County

Bruce Deuel

Lassen Volcanic National Park, ….I saw four mosaic darners at Summit Lake, including a pair in wheel. They didn't stick around for me to identify them, though.

Tehama County

Then we visited Wilson Lake, seeing a few more mosaic darners and 4 male Saffron-winged Meadowhawk*. I'm sure there were a lot more, as I only checked about 100 feet of shoreline. [last date reported in 2005]

October 2, 2005

San Diego County

Douglas Aguillard

…. while watching the Navy Fleetweek Sea & Air Parade on San Diego Bay (ocean saltwater), I watched a male Red Rock Skimmer * [last date reported in 2005] flying out over the bay and then landing on the jetty-type rocks. There is no fresh water creek with rocks near this location.

September 2005

September 30, 2005

Siskiyou County

Kathy & Dave Biggs

Dave and I took one last Ode outing. We especially wanted to look for the Lance-tipped Darner, as it was found in Oregon, less than 20 miles from the border. We were netting all that we found for Albert Burchsted in New York who is doing DNA studies. Since it was the end of the flight season, we weren’t taking any out of the breeding population for long; in fact, it went below freezing the next two nights. Mt. Shasta was glorious and white with snow! Here’s what we did find:

Meiss National Wildlife Area:

Lestes congener Spotted Spreadwing – several netted 3 kept, others released

Enallagma carunculatum Tule Bluet – 2 males collected

Ischnura perparva Western Forktail - a few females & males

Aeshna palmata Paddle-tailed Darner* – several netted, 2 males kept [last date reported 2005]

A. umbrosa Shadow Darner – several netted, 3 males kept

Sympetrum pallipes Striped Meadowhawk – several netted, 3 females & 1 male kept

Juanita Lake:

Lestes congener Spotted Spreadwing – several netted and released