A morning at Bill Mason Centre (part 3)
August 1st, 2013
I also found Halloween Pennant at the Bill Mason pond--a very pleasant surprise. It's another uncommon one, found mainly south of here, and I was expecting to have to go further afield to get it. But actually I've seen quite a few more since then at several locations, so the online checklist that designates it as "scarce" may be out of date. Climate change seems to be coaxing a number of formerly more southern species into our area, and I'm noticing it this year more than ever before. Egrets, Deer Ticks, Halloween Pennants, you name it!
To annoy the 5'3" nature photographer, pick a six-foot-tall Great Mullein for your perch.
Teneral (newly emerged) damselflies were all over the pond shore, so young that they didn't even have their colors yet. In the picture below, you can just see what I think is a discarded larval skin curled over the flowers. The second picture has a better view of a larval skin.
Odonates spend their larval days creeping underwater, hunting other aquatic insects, worms, and even baby fish. If you have a strong stomach (frankly, it helps if you have an outright affinity for horror movies), check out this Youtube video. I know I'll never look at damselflies the same way again!
August 1st, 2013
I also found Halloween Pennant at the Bill Mason pond--a very pleasant surprise. It's another uncommon one, found mainly south of here, and I was expecting to have to go further afield to get it. But actually I've seen quite a few more since then at several locations, so the online checklist that designates it as "scarce" may be out of date. Climate change seems to be coaxing a number of formerly more southern species into our area, and I'm noticing it this year more than ever before. Egrets, Deer Ticks, Halloween Pennants, you name it!
To annoy the 5'3" nature photographer, pick a six-foot-tall Great Mullein for your perch.
Teneral (newly emerged) damselflies were all over the pond shore, so young that they didn't even have their colors yet. In the picture below, you can just see what I think is a discarded larval skin curled over the flowers. The second picture has a better view of a larval skin.
Odonates spend their larval days creeping underwater, hunting other aquatic insects, worms, and even baby fish. If you have a strong stomach (frankly, it helps if you have an outright affinity for horror movies), check out this Youtube video. I know I'll never look at damselflies the same way again!
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