List of New Dragonfly records for Uvalde County

New Dragonfly Records for Uvalde County

Swamp Darner

Here I will list and show the new dragonfly records
(photos) I have documented from Uvalde County.

Since my computer has not had success trying to communicate
with the Odonata Central web site to submit my records,
I will put up new Uvalde Co. record photos here.
And I'll put together a page for the Bandera Co. ones too.

One of the most fun and rewarding things an amateur nature
watcher can do is contribute to our body of knowledge.

Keep a camera handy to take pictures and get documentation.
Otherwise it never occurred in the world of rare animal reports.
I have at times resorted to e-mailing pictures to the experts
that were "first or new, county records" in hopes of trying to document
new things. But they have bigger fish to fry than adding
NCR dots to the maps.

Several years ago (2004 I think) there were listed at the
Odonata Central website, 66 species of Odonata (dragons and damsels)
known from Uvalde Co., of which 42 were dragons, 24 damsels.

Here are the species I've found that I am reasonably sure were
new first records for Uvalde County when I discovered them. (7 species)

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Hyacinth glider - Miathyria marcella - First on 7/31/04 at
Ft. Inge when took photos and voucher. Often common to
abundant there, less so recently with hyacinth controls.
Also seen at Cook's Slough, Uvalde City Park and the National
Fish Hatchery in Uvalde. Regularly strays up onto plateau in
very small numbers, most years. Tony Gallucci had one at
Cherry Creek on 1050, and I have subsequently had it a few times
in my bone dry yard (Psuedoleon and Erythrodiplax umbrata here too!)
2 mi. W. of Utopia at 1500' in junipers, on (muy) Seco Ridge.
Also seen at Utopia Park where not quite so out of place.



Hyacinth Glider at Ft. Inge, July 31, 2004

Comet Darner - Anax longipes - 7/27/05 photo'd at Cook's Slough,
then ph. by M. Reid a couple days later, then missed by others.
But in September seen again at UNFH, and Utopia Park,
ovipositing at both of those sites. The story ended with
a teneral photo'd May 07 at Utopia Park, so at least one
confirmed Uvalde Co. successful emergence from the mini-invasion.

July 27, 2005 Cook's Slough

Flame Skimmer - Libellula saturata - 8/7/05 was first UvCo
photo in yard on vehicle antenna 2 mi. W. Utopia though
had been seen several times prior, and many times since.
Seen at Cook's Slough and Nat. Fish Hatchery in flatlands
brush country, and semi-regular passing through my dry yard
near Utopia (UvCo) at 1500', a few per year at least.
Resident populations at Lost Maples and Big Springs.

Flame Skimmer - 1st Uvalde Co. photo on my car antenna!
August 7, 2005, 2 mi. W. of Utopia.

Slough Amberwing - Perithemis domitia - at Utopia Park first seen
9/23/07, digiscoped 10/15 & 17, captured, one in-hand blurry
photo 10/18/07 before it got away (I couldn't believe that!).
On Oct. 17 a female was with the male and seen ovipositing.

Slough Amberwing at Utopia Park Oct 17 & 18, 2007
(first two images digiscopes)

Marl Pennant - Macrodiplax balteata - several seen in flatlands
and up here in Utopia over last 6 years, rare but annual or
nearly so. The first photograph at Uvalde Nat. Fish Hatchery
on June 20, 2009. Regular at Ft. Clark Springs, Kinney Co..



Marl Pennant at Uvalde National Fish Hatchery
June 20, 2009. (digiscoped images)

Swamp Darner - Epiaeschna heros - one female photographed at
Utopia Park on July 27, 2009.

Swamp Darner, female

Spot-tailed Dasher - Micrathyria aequalis - I found a male at
Cook's Slough in Uvalde on August 29, 2009. Ken Cave's pic
was much better than mine so here is his photo, and THANKS Ken.

Spot-tailed Dasher, male
(photo by Ken Cave)

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I have a couple of other species of interest "seen only",
undocumented as of yet so not on official Uvalde Co. list.
But perhaps worth keeping in mind, probably in fall is best.

Turquoise-tipped Darner - Aeshna psilus - seen at Cook's
Slough in November, and along Sabinal River in Bandera
County. A few other un-ID'd Aeshna have been seen
that were likely this species.

Giant Darner - Anax walsinghami - seen at Garner St. Pk.,
UvCo, and Lost Maples SNA in Bandera Co., both in fall.

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Here is a second county record perhaps of interest.
Straw-colored Sylph - Macrothemis inacuta - was prior only
known from a novice's whatdragonizzat photo. This
individual was netted on Sept. 14, 2007 when I found a number
of them at Cook's Slough on a fall Nature Quest walk.
This then was the first of its kind in the county that the
observer said "Straw-colored Sylph" while observing it.

Straw-colored Sylph at Cook's Slough September 14, 2007