tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post3746488021893689592..comments2024-01-30T03:16:18.674-08:00Comments on Vestal Grove: The Dragonflies of SommeStephen Packardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-51644325827999103862015-07-01T23:40:50.621-07:002015-07-01T23:40:50.621-07:00My most interesting observation about dragonflies ...My most interesting observation about dragonflies and restoration is, like birds, dragonflies require certain habitat structure. However, unlike birds, the habitat with a certain structure that is able to attract and retain many dragonfly species does not have to be large. A small corner of a typical suburban yard planted into native grasses and sedges is sufficient to create an area where dragonflies will roost. The homeowner then benefits by having dragonflies around to eat mosquitoes. <br /><br />In contrast, the typical yard with hedges of shrubbery along the property line is about the worst possible habitat configuration if mosquito control is desired. Shrubbery provides cover and wind protection for the mosquitoes. A lack of the vertical structure in the form of native grasses and sedges creates the result of having no good roosting habitat for dragonflies. The design of our suburban ecosystem has unintentionally created excellent conditions for the mosquitoes.James McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12813312887957290703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-35274585845042632892015-07-01T16:16:58.072-07:002015-07-01T16:16:58.072-07:00The thoughts about polluted water remain valid, an...The thoughts about polluted water remain valid, and the speculation about "conservative" dragonflies is intriguing. I think I saw a GBS at Ted a week or so ago, but it didn't perch. It was certainly much larger than a Blue Dasher. Dragonflies of Indiana says, "Flooded wooded areas and marshes with standing dead trees are a favorite habitat of the Great Blue Skimmer." With the Great Ash Die-Off, Ted has that habitat. I'll keep looking.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04608850767431630602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-54618835569006253502015-07-01T15:48:13.118-07:002015-07-01T15:48:13.118-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04608850767431630602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-63947690324371286122015-07-01T14:48:29.997-07:002015-07-01T14:48:29.997-07:00Ooops. We appear to have misidentified our blue dr...Ooops. We appear to have misidentified our blue dragonfly. According to John and Jane Balaban, it looks more like a great blue skimmer. Please subtract all the thoughts about polluted water. The great blue skimmer is more typical of savannas and woodlands. There's a lot to learn.<br />Stephen Packardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-35611095260508495742015-07-01T11:35:59.892-07:002015-07-01T11:35:59.892-07:00Interesting thoughts, Steve. The creek that runs ...Interesting thoughts, Steve. The creek that runs through Ted Stone drains Lake Ida, a man-made lake dug for fill to build the Southwest (Stevenson) Expressway. Some runoff from heavily-used LaGrange Road also ends up in the creek. But with the herb layer in the woods along the moraine slowly recovering, maybe not that much pollution is reaching the creek these days. I recently saw a bullfrog in the creek for the first time in years. The dragonflies near the creek are dominated by common whitetails, pondhawks, twelve-spotted skimmers, widow skimmers, and darners - all larger species than the dasher. I have only seen a handful of blue dashers this year near ephemeral ponds, but the green darners and skimmers dominate the ponds.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04608850767431630602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-70093655525479282762015-07-01T05:33:38.568-07:002015-07-01T05:33:38.568-07:00Mark, that's interesting. Since the blue dashe...Mark, that's interesting. Since the blue dasher is one of the ones that tolerates polluted water, could it be that the Ted Stone preserve doesn't have much polluted water nearby? Could it be that dragonflies of high-quality habitats mostly out-compete all others in those habitats? If so, that would be a parallel to how competition works among plants. Stephen Packardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01811489977185760340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30877168.post-78387541534022996812015-06-30T19:06:02.341-07:002015-06-30T19:06:02.341-07:00I looked forward to seeing this since the Facebook...I looked forward to seeing this since the Facebook post. Lovely photos from Lisa, as usual. I was interested to "compare and contrast" with Ted Stone, where the top twelve would include the Eastern Pondhawk and Calico Pennant, in place of the Lance-Tipped Darner and, surprisingly, the Blue Dasher, which seems to be common just about everywhere else - including the retention pond at my office complex. It is seen at Ted, just not in the numbers of the other species.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04608850767431630602noreply@blogger.com