Dragons on the dock

But whatever goes on in their insect minds, these creatures are beautiful and interesting to observe. This spring I purchased a guide to The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Provincial Park by Matt Holder (The Friends of Algonquin Park, 1996). Our cottage is close to the park boundary, so I knew the booklet would cover most of the species we regularly see (See the Algonquin Provincial Park official website).

Out of about 5,000 species worldwide, 85 have been identified within the park boundaries (there is a North American checklist online from University of Puget Sound). So far this year I have observed three species on and around our dock: the calico pennant (Celithinus elisa), the dragonhunter, and a species of bluet belonging to one of two genera, Coenagrion or Enallagma, which are difficult to distinguish. In addition, I have seen the ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) while hiking in the region and a river jewelwing (C. aequabile) along the Eramosa River near my home in Guelph, several hundred kilometers south.

The guide provides interesting information on the life cycle and behaviour of odonates plus field notes on 35 of the local species. At the back is a complete checklist of the species, some of which are rare and even peculiar to Algonquin Park. An additional list informs of 20 other species not officially recorded but suspected to reside within the park boundaries. As interest increases in this group of fascinating insects, perhaps more of them will be observed by scientists and private enthusiasts. For a copy of the guide, which costs $2.95 Cdn, write to The Friends of Algonquin Park, P.O. Box 248, Whitney, Ontario, K0J 2M0. You can find information about other publications, and a printable order form, on the park's "Maps and publications" page.

An interesting note: dragonflies are hardly worth collecting because their colour doesn't preserve. And it can be difficult to photography these active insects. But a website called Digital Dragonflies describes how to create images, without harming them, using a flatbed scanner! This looks like an interesting and informative hobby for amateur entomologists.

The Oregon Dragonfly and Damselfly Survey website offers a large list of links pertaining to these fascinating insects.

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