Odonate ID

Hello,

So I spent 5 minutes reading this evening (yes, I can read) - something I maybe should have endeavoured to do prior to my earlier post.  It's amazing how reading can really teach you things.  It has been good (read challenging) to catch up on some long-forgotten damselflies.

So to that effect, the third "bluet" in my series is actually a Violet Dancer - a damsel that I knew to be a riverine species but found some distance from the nearest river.  I'm quite doubtful of the first "bluet" as well, but I guess I didn't get that far in my reading.  The unknown pruinose (fuzzy) damsel is a Powdered Dancer (I believe).

As usual, if I'm wrong and you'd like to correct me please feel free.  Otherwise I'll never learn :).

Kyle

Odes!

Hello!

Where does the time go between blog posts?  I guess I have been a bit busy working on some big developments (more on this later).  At any rate, I have finally pulled a post together.

I spent some time this weekend chasing Odonates (or just Odes, if you want to throw some lingo around and sound cool at a party).  Dragonflies and Damselflies are amazing creatures, and there are tons around if you just take the time to look!  I have spent some intimate time with dragonflies in the past, but have been focussed a bit more on damsels recently.  Which is frustrating cause they're so difficult to ID!  Damselfly experts prepare - there will be a lot of question marks in the post (not the butterfly!).

Here goes:

Oh bluets, how I despise thee.  Here are three bluets which may or may not be the same species.  Actually they may or may not be bluets...

Bluet #1

Bluet #2

Bluet #3

Here's a few that I know (I think)!

Ebony Jewelwing

Eastern Forktail

Here's one I haven't the faintest clue about...

Who am I??

Here's a damselfly that looks a lot like a frog (couldn't help myself).

Northern Leopard Frog

And to finish off, a few dragonflies (soo much easier!).

Widow Skimmer

Yellow-legged Meadowhawk

Calico Pennant

And sure enough, just when you think you know something, doubts begin to creep back in.  I'm going to take a leap at this one and say...

Red-waisted Whiteface?

Alright all you Odonate experts - go ahead, make me look silly.  Seriously, I would love it if anyone could ID the unknowns or correct the knowns :).  The field guide is on the way, but until then it's a bit of a guessing game!

That's all for now.  Until next time...

Kyle

A Great Day in the Woods!

Hello!

Spent my Canada Day in the woods (the Canadian woods).  Herps were the target, and I was back to my favourite amphibian spot with a couple of friends.  The herp scene started off a bit slow, but there were lots of other things to occupy me.

Red Mushrooms

A Cool Slug...

Hairstreak (Satyrium sp.)

Eventually we started to turn up some herps, much to my enjoyment.

Red-spotted Newt (Red Eft) (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)

Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

Undoubtedly the find of the day (and not made by me) was this picture-perfect (no pun intended) Four-toed Salamander.

Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)

That's all for now!

Kyle