Odonate Orientation 101

The sun shone, the humidity rose – summer had arrived in Southeast Texas, and for an intrepid cluster of BESTers that meant more opportunities to delve into the lifestyles of the beautiful and spineless. Sunday, May 6, Bob and Maggie Honig lead just such a crew all around the ponds of W.G. Jones State Forest. Here’s a list of the odonates we saw:

1. Lestes sp. (spreadwing -- probably Common Spreadwing)

2. Citrine Forktail

3. Rambur's Forktail

4. Fragile Forktail

5. Orange Bluet

6. Burgundy Bluet

7. unknown damsel

8. Common Green Darner

9. Swamp Darner

10. clubtail sp. --

11. Prince Baskettail

12. Common Whitetail

13. Blue Corporal (RATHER LATE for this early spring flier!)

14. Blue Dasher

15. Eastern Pondhawk

16. Calico Pennant

17. Carolina Saddlebags

18. Eastern Amberwing

19. Little Blue Dragonlet

Of course, it wouldn’t be a BEST event without us being at least occasionally distracted by the scaly-winged beasts. American Ladies and Monarchs made an occasional pass, but the real butterfly of the day was a rather dark unassuming individual – a Juvenal’s Duskywing – again, VERY late to be flying, and VERY fresh as well!

BEST excursions are known for their wide range of coverage across all areas biotic; with the Honigs, that tendency shifts into overdrive! From gorgeous golden and dead –ringer bee mimic Robber Flies, to the bizarrely carnivorous and beautiful Bladderworts, to controversial Cricket Frogs (or are they Green Toads?), and from Brown-headed Nuthatches singing in the trees to leeches hitchhiking on Common Snapping Turtles in the pond , it was a most mind-expanding experience.

However, the real highlight of the day came rather early when Billie Strickland grabbed Steve Abbey’s arm for support, and to the cheers of the whole group, put weight on her once-broken leg, and stepped across a rivulet. Yes, folks, Billie is back!