Species of the Month

Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) adult, note the hairy abdomen, Minnesota (July 2017). Photo copyright Ami Thompson.

Dragonfly Society of the Americas’ April “Species of the Month”:

Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta)

DSA’s March “Species of the Month” is the rare Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta), in the family Corduliidae, the Emerald dragonflies. The Quebec Emerald is about 5 centimeters in body length (just under 2 inches). According to Dennis Paulson in Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East, it is found in “shallow patterned fens with sedges and mosses.” The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources notes the Quebec Emerald’s range includes Newfoundland to the east, then westward to British Columbia, Canada, with four known populations in northern Minnesota. Tag along on an adventure with DSA President Ami Thompson as she investigates this elusive species.

A Rare and Radiant Peatland Specialist

In the vast, shifting carpet of Minnesota’s patterned peatlands, the Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) exists as a boreal phantom. It is a specialist of bogs and fens and stands out as one of the rarest Odonata species in North America. My experiences with this species were all based in Minnesota which is home to massive swaths of peatlands; the largest in the continental United States. 

Despite their size they face significant threats from habitat alteration and disturbance. Specifically through peat mining, attempted draining via ditching or wild rice farming which can disrupt the delicate hydrological balance these ecosystems require. Furthermore, industrial risks from sulfide mining and chemical or flow alterations caused by railroad tracks and highways pose serious dangers. Global climate change threatens to shift the southern edge of the boreal biome northward, potentially eventually extirpating specialized species from the state. Because it relies on these delicate, low-nutrient environments and breeds in small water-filled hollows the Quebec Emerald was designated a species of special concern in Minnesota in 2013. 

As with nearly all conservation issues, how people use land represents a complex medley of cultural, economic, and historical needs. While these industrial and climatic factors pose real risks, conservation in the 21st century requires a pragmatic lens. In fact, people and organizations associated with wild rice farming, pipelines, and sulfide mining were vital in supporting various aspects of this S. brevicincta research. 

A Search from the Skies

Finding this rare creature required extraordinary measures. Minnesota Dragonfly Society (MDS) dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers acquired grant funding and then conducted aerial adult and aquatic nymph surveys in extremely remote places, such as the Red Lake Peatland Scientific and Natural Area. The “ground” in these massive continuous peatlands consists of floating mats of plants and their roots, making traditional foot travel nearly impossible, and vehicle access out of the question. 

To reach these understudied ecosystems, my MDS colleagues—including specialists like Curt Oien, Kurt Mead, Mitchell Haag, and Scott King—and I hopped out of a helicopter onto the floating mats of vegetation because there was no solid ground for a landing. These surveys were among the first in-depth looks at these ecosystems through a dragonfly-focused lens, and allowed us to begin to identify the habitat needs of this rare dragonfly.

The helicopter leaving after dropping us off in the peatland. Minnesota (July 2017).  Photo copyright Ami Thompson.

While hunting for adult Quebec Emeralds we would often spot a mystery “something” patrolling among the tamaracks and black spruce. With aerial nets in hand, we would awkwardly slosh-run through the difficult terrain sinking to ankles or knees with each step, to chase down these elusive fliers. Too often all we caught was frustration when we peered into our nets only to discover we had captured a much more common resident, such as the Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) or the Canada Darner (Aeshna canadensis), rather than our rare target. 

Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) alighted on Kurt Mead at the end of a long day while we waited for the helicopter to come get us, Minnesota (July 2017).  Photo copyright Ami Thompson.

When finally netted and held to the light, the adult Quebec Emerald reveals a stunning metallic brilliance, its deep ebony-green thorax shimmering with a polished luster. This radiant specialist is well described by its species name brevicincta—it has remarkably thin or short (“brevi”) pale white rings that wrap around the abdomen like delicate belts (“cincta”). Unlike many of its smoother-bodied cousins, the Quebec Emerald is notably hirsute; its abdomen is covered in dorsal hairs, giving it a fuzzy, textured appearance. Combined with the brilliant, jewel-like green eyes characteristic of the Somatochlora genus, it is a striking contrast to the dark, tea-colored waters of the peatland.

Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) adult, note the hairy abdomen, Minnesota (July 2017). Photo copyright Ami Thompson.

Finding the nymphs in addition to the adults was essential because dragonflies spend the vast majority of their lives—often several years—as aquatic larvae. Identifying their specific larval habitat needs allowed us to begin to paint the picture of the precise conditions they require to lay eggs and successfully mature into adults. When we discovered an individual nymph tucked away in those tiny pools, a huge sense of elation and celebration was a hard-won reward for our persistence.

Mitch Haag dip netting for Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) nymphs, Minnesota (July 2017).  Photo copyright Ami Thompson.

The hunt for Quebec Emerald nymphs was an exercise in extreme patience: hours of surveying the remote landscape flowed into days of intense searching. They were incredibly difficult to find because they breed in very small, water-filled hollows tucked within mossy fens called “flarks”. Our surveys suggest that this rare species is entirely dependent on peatland habitats. Many larvae found in Minnesota were living adjacent water-filled game trails in poor fens within open acid peatland systems. On drier days, I was able to find individual nymphs by stomping down the saturated sphagnum with my feet until I created a small, water-filled divot, allowing me to sweep my aquatic net through the temporary puddle.

Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) nymph with the tiny small peatland pool where it was collected from in the background, Minnesota (July 2017).  Photo copyright Ami Thompson.

Somatochlora species nymphs are characterized by robust stout brown bodies with long legs. Their abdomens are also usually covered with coarse, bristly setae. For the Quebec Emerald specifically, the lack of dorsal hooks and location and amount of these body hairs are critical for determining identification. These hairs, among other features, help distinguish them from the members within Somatochlora or those from other similar less hairy genera.

Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) nymph photographed by Marla Garrison. Image copyright Marla Garrison.

In the field, these characteristics make them a challenge to find because the larvae get wrapped up in wet sphagnum moss when collected in a dip net. This makes them nearly impossible to see at first glance. We spent hours gently pulling apart the sphagnum moss strand by strand, meticulously searching for the small, hairy bodies of these rare specialists hidden within the vegetation. We quickly learned to be very careful while searching because those all-important setae easily rubbed off, making nymph identification even more difficult. 

Balancing the Rare and the Abundant

While the Quebec Emerald represents the extreme edge of niche specialization, my other research life took me to the opposite end of the spectrum. Searching for the rare Quebec Emerald provided a vital scientific balance to my PhD work at the University of Minnesota focused on the Common Green Darner (Anax junius), an abundant generalist species that can live dang near anywhere freshwater exists. 

Common Green Darner (Anax junius), Minnesota (Dec. 2016). Photo copyright Ami Thompson.

While the Quebec Emerald is a niche specialist of the northern peatlands, the Common Green Darner is a widespread migratory ambassador for freshwater conservation. Studying these two extremes—the specialist and the generalist— shines a light on how these two species have had their morphological and behavioral adaptations filtered in very different ways by their environments. The ecological and research value of studying common creatures is, in my opinion, extremely underappreciated. Being a common species is a rare thing and understanding the evolutionary factors that filter for abundance can be as elucidating as understanding those that result in rarity. 

The Power of Community-Fueled Research

Volunteer scientists make this kind of work possible. Minnesota Dragonfly Society research projects rely on members and volunteers who contribute hundreds of hours to collecting data and rearing nymphs. Through workshops and environmental education training, we can use dragonflies as the "charismatic face" to teach the real heart of the work: the processes of science and the vivacious joy of curiosity.

Minnesota Dragonfly Society Volunteers surveying in a bog in Minnesota (Summer 2017).  Photo copyright Ami Thompson.

Involving the community intentionally throws the doors to academia wide open. Science and research should not be an exclusive experience only for those with PhDs. This "recreational science" does more than just gather vital data for land managers; it fosters a deep, joyful human connection to the natural world. Whether we are sawing through ice to find nymphs in winter or capturing a rare species for a county record, these experiences invite everyone to be a researcher. This openness to welcoming the amateur is one the Dragonfly Society of America's greatest strengths. 

Together, our community is ensuring that these incredible insects—and the wild lands they call home—remain healthy for generations to come.

Ami Thompson, President of the DSA, is the Director of the Liebman Institute for Science Innovation at McHenry County College in Illinois. She studies the natural history of the Common Green Darner (Anax junius) and has been known to follow dragonflies just about anywhere. Ami enjoys igniting community curiosity about science and encouraging the use of wonder as a liberating practice.

This article was written with support from NotebookLM.

Species of the Month

Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus), female, Burlington, Wisconsin, (Racine County) USA, Fox River near Saller Woods. July 7, 2025. Photo Copyright Steven Lubahn.

DSA Species of the Month for March 2026

Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus)

DSA’s March “Species of the Month” is the Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus), in the Clubtail family “Gomphidae.”  It’s 49–55 mm (about 2 inches) in length, and frequents rivers and sunny sandy or gravelly streams. The Eastern Ringtail is found south to the Mexican uplands, east to northwestern Florida and Maryland, west as far as New Mexico and north to the Midwest; with other spotty records across North America (including Montana). Join naturalist Steven Lubahn as he encounters this species in Wisconsin—and has a few adventures along the way.

Chasing Clubtails

I’ve been birding for nearly 30 years, but as my passion for birds cooled, the late summer  Meadowhawks reawakened my interest in nature. I became interested in Odonata in the summer of 2020.  Any avid naturalist can attest that when you walk outside, a change occurs within. When I step onto a trail or a river, I open up. I find a different rhythm as my focus becomes directed outward.

In late summer of 2025, I focused on adding Arrow Clubtail (Stylurus spiniceps), Elusive Clubtail (S. notatus), and Russet-tipped Clubtail (S. plagiatus)  to Racine County’s species list in Wisconsin. Because of minimal coverage, southeastern Wisconsin offers opportunities for Odonata surveyors to fill in gaps of known species. 

Arrow Clubtail (Stylurus spiniceps) male, Burlington, Wisconsin, USA, Hoosier Creek Road boat launch.  9-12-2025. Photo copyright Steven Lubahn.

The Fox River, which flows from Colgate, Wisconsin, all the way to Ottawa, Illinois, became the focus of my interest, especially the area close to my home. In Wisconsin, the river flows through Waukesha, Racine, and Kenosha Counties. I methodically studied the maps and worked my way down the river. 

In August of 2025  I decided to explore the swollen and volatile Fox River in Racine, with hopes of adding a new clubtail to the county’s list. Recent rains raised the river by at least a couple of feet. In June, I waded across the entire river on foot to photograph a Jade Clubtail (Arigomphus submedianus) . Now, I was determined to merely hug the shoreline in my kayak.

Jade Clubtail (Arigomphus submedianus) male, Racine, Wisconsin, USA, Fox River, Saller Woods.  June 14, 2025. Photo copyright Steven Lubahn.

That was my plan, anyway.

A river is a fitting analogy for life. How often have I made that association when pondering adversity. The circulation of my blood and the river’s current both flow continuously, defying attachments and resistance to change.   

Navigating the shoreline that day was a challenge. I maneuvered around dead trees. It was one of these trees that I clung to when I realized I made a fateful decision. My hope was to cross the river and find refuge on the opposite shoreline. 

Fox River, east of Saller Woods, (location of the Eastern Ringtail), Racine County, Wisconsin, USA September 11, 2025. Photo copyright Steven Lubahn.

Instead, I was slammed into another tree. Hanging onto it with one arm, I watched the rushing water rise. Then, my kayak disowned me. The next moment, I was underwater and under the tree. The branches lashed my face. I eventually felt the river bottom with my feet. Thankfully, I finally made it to shore. Bruised and cut up, my quest had to be postponed. 

On the morning of September seventh. I returned to the Fox River in Racine again, this time on foot. I found an Arrow Clubtail in a city park. As I suspected, they were present all along. 

My next stop was to revisit the river near Saller Woods in Racine County. After finding many Russet-tipped Clubtails in Kenosha County the day before, I was hopeful. The same river that hurled me in August was only a foot deep at this location. 

Russet-tipped Clubtail (Stylurus plagiatus), male, Burlington, Wisconsin, (Kenosha County), USA, Fox River Park.  September 6, 2025. Photo copyright Steven Lubahn.

There were Arrow Clubtails present but no Russet-tipped Clubtails or Elusive Clubtails. I would add them later in the season. For now, I made my way to the opposite shore. I walked gingerly, through the matted grass, which a week earlier was underwater.  And then . . . I spotted a mystery Clubtail in the grass. I managed two photos until the dragonfly took off over the brush.

Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus) male, Shopiere, Rock County, Wisconsin, USA, Sweet Allyn Park. July 21, 2024. Photo copyright Steven Lubahn.

A female Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus), in full sunlight! I had seen them along Turtle Creek in Rock County, where they were discovered for the first time in 2022. I couldn’t believe I was seeing one in Racine County on a river I spent considerable time surveying.

Eastern Ringtail, with its bright green thorax, cerulean eyes and a checkered abdomen dipped in burnt sienna, is a thing of beauty.

Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus), female Burlington, Wisconsin, (Racine County) USA, Fox River near Saller Woods. July 7, 2025. Photo Copyright Steven Lubahn.

Seeing it hover with a raised abdomen, as it seemingly defies gravity like a child's toy, is why I want to be out there every day. 

The Fox River brings hope that this species further establishes a population in Wisconsin. 

Bio: Steven Lubahn is an amateur naturalist living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin


Note: Portions of the introductory information from DSA are taken  from Dennis Paulson’s Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East and Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West (Princeton University Press).

Species of the Month

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) male, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois (8-21-23), Photo copyright Steve Baginski.

February 2026 Species of the Month: Ischnura posita

The Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) is a narrow-winged damselfly in the genus Ischnura and the family Coenagrionidae. They are among the smallest damselflies, averaging about an inch long (2.54 cm). Their range extends south to Florida, northeast to New England, west to western Oklahoma and Texas, south through Mexico, and into Guatemala. Enjoy dragonfly data collector Steve Baginski’s encounter with this species in this month’s blog post.

Not So Fragile Forktails

In 2023, my wife Gail Chastain and I began collecting odonate data at a pond on a newly-purchased 18 acre property, added to the 1,700 acre The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. The site includes Fischer Pond, surrounded by trees with diverse grasses and a 100-acre tallgrass prairie to the south. Because the new property is an isolated area—and only recently opened to visitors—most people don’t even know it’s there. 

There were no trails, so Gail and I blazed them on our own, even when—later in the summer—the grasses were higher than our heads. Despite the terrain, we showed up week after week with our clipboards and data sheets, counting individuals. We were rewarded with an abundance of Fragile Forktail damselflies and Eastern Forktails (Ischnura verticalis). Although they are both common species in our part of Illinois, their numbers here were noteworthy. We found there  are more Fragile Forktails here than at any other location at the Arboretum.

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) male, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois (26 June 2024), Photo copyright Steve Baginski.

In Illinois, the Fragile Forktail damselflies are designated “S-5,” demonstrably secure in the state. They are ranked “globally secure” by NatureServe. Fragile Forktails are one of five different forktail species found in Illinois and the third most recorded damselfly at The Morton Arboretum. They are one of three forktail species found on the property (Fragile Forktail, Eastern Forktail, and Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata)).

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) male, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois (21 August 2023), Photo copyright Steve Baginski.

The male Fragile Forktail’s antehumeral (shoulder) stripes on the thorax are yellow-green. The stripe is referred to as “broken,” which can make it look like an exclamation mark (!). This is a key identification feature of the Fragile. They also have dots on the back of their head, so when looking at them from behind, it seems like they are looking at you. The underside of the first and second abdominal segment is black.

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) female, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois (29 June 2023), Photo copyright Steve Baginski.

The females are similar to males, but the stripes on the thorax and the dots on the back of their heads are blue.

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) female, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois (29 July 2025), Photo copyright Steve Baginski.

Older Fragile Forktail females, whose blue stripes are obscured with age and pruinosity, can be tough to tell apart from older female Eastern Forktails.

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) in the wheel, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois (12 July 2024), Photo copyright Steve Baginski.

Fragile Forktails typically have a life cycle of one to two years from egg to adult. They prefer quiet waters with lots of aquatic vegetation, into which the females oviposit their eggs. When the eggs hatch, the naiads (nymphs) are said to be pretty feisty, chasing off other naiads.

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) in the wheel, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois (12 September 2024), Photo copyright Steve Baginski.

In addition, Fragile Forktails play a role in the ecosystem as both predators of small insects and prey of birds, frogs, fish, and larger odonates. They contribute to the biodiversity of their habitats. Despite their name, Fragile Forktails are known for their adaptability, including a high tolerance for polluted areas. Fragile Forktails, especially the females, are among the damselflies that eat other damselflies, including those of their own species. Perhaps not so “fragile,” after all!

The Fragile Forktail numbers for The Morton Arboretum’s 1,718 acre site as a whole increased by over six times in one year, mostly due to the numbers we found in this new area.

Changes in numbers of recorded Fragile Forktails (Ischnura posita) at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, with the addition of the Fischer Pond site in 2023.

As of 2025, the Fragile Forktails of Fischer Pond are still going strong. We continue to find more each season. Hopefully, 2026 will be another great year for the species at this site.

Steve Baginski and Gail Chastain at one of their dragonfly monitoring sites in Franklin Grove, Illinois (19 May 2025). Photo copyright Cindy Crosby.

Steve Baginski took up photography in 1993. As his interest in photography grew, so did his curiosity about the nature he photographed. In 2018, when his wife, Gail Chastain, started volunteering for an Odonata monitoring project at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, he began joining her. As his interest in odonates also grew, he officially joined the dragonfly team at The Morton Arboretum in 2020. Steve took special interest in damselflies, as he collected data. Upon retirement, any time he has away from “official” monitoring is now used looking for more dragonflies and damselflies.

Species of the Month

Neoneura maria, male. Cambute River, Guanabacoa, Havana. Photo by Ana María Hernández.

January 2026 Species of the Month: Neoneura maria

This month’s DSA species focus is the damselfly Neoneura maria. It is in the family Protoneuridae, and one of six endemic Cuban species. Neoneura maria is 32 mm long (about 1.26 inches) and usually found in clean, shady rivers. Read on to learn about this exciting species from Ana Maria Hernández.

Love at First Photo

My first encounter with Neoneura maria changed my life. 

It came after a long journey. For 21 years I worked in biotechnology, dedicated to cancer research, a field that brought me immense satisfaction. But since childhood, my passion has always been animals and their conservation. After years of wavering between continuing a successful path or pursuing my dream, I mustered my courage and embarked on a fresh start in the fascinating world of biology. 

That's how I arrived at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Havana, Cuba, joining the Genetics for Conservation group. There, I began collaborating on various projects within the Entomology Group. I still did not have a clearly defined path for myself. 

Then I met Dr. Adrian Trapero, an Odonata specialist and now my mentor and friend. He was writing a book about Cuban dragonflies and needed photographs. Dr. Trapero asked for my help because my husband, a professional photographer, had a camera and lens that we thought would be suitable that I could use.

My husband gave me the basic instructions for taking a photo without knowing anything about the characteristics of our “model”, and Dr. Trapero and I agreed on a date for the excursion. At that time, I only had a very basic understanding of damselflies and didn't know any of the Cuban endemic species. But I did know that they generally inhabited pristine, shady mountain rivers. So I was surprised when Dr. Trapero suggested looking for it at a river in a green, semi-urban area, on the outskirts of Havana. It was still in part of the city, with the consequent influx of people, accumulation of trash, and pollution from household waste. "Neoneura maria is the most resilient of our endemic species," Dr. Trapero explained to me. "It's the only endemic species that exists in all parts of Cuba, even in Isla de la Juventud." (Isla de la Juventud is a small island isolated from the main island.) After passing by a housing settlement, we followed a rural road that crossed a railway line. The road was occasionally interrupted by small streams, where children bathed and livestock drank. 

Studying the water characteristics of the transect of Cambute River where we monitor Neoneura maria with Javier Yraola Rodríguez. Photo by Angelica M. Amador de la Cruz (used with permission).

As we ventured deeper into the undergrowth, the road narrowed and began to run alongside the banks of a somewhat wider river. 

"It's this way," Dr. Trapero told me. We carefully began our damselfly search. It took a long time. With its 32 mm length  (about 1.26 inches) and the slender, graceful body of Protoneurids, we were looking for a bright blue pinprick in the green undergrowth.

Neoneura maria, male. Cambute River, Guanabacoa, Havana. Photo by Ana María Hernández.

Dr. Trapero was the first to spot the damselfly. "It's there!" he pointed, on the opposite bank in the shadows, beneath the leaves. I couldn't see anything until I used my camera lens. And, there it was. My impression was one of utter awe: there, in plain sight—yet invisible to those not actively seeking it—was one of the most beautiful animals I had ever seen.

 It seemed to cast a spell on me. My decision was made in seconds. These are the animals I want to study. The photos from that day were terrible, but they were the first of many. That day marked the beginning not only of my passion for odonatans, but also my passion for nature photography. 

In that small river, thanks to a Dragonfly Society of the Americas Small Research Grant, we have begun to study this species. There is very little information about it. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed Neoneura maria as “Data Deficient.” For over a year, we have monitored population fluctuations and its response to hurricanes, droughts, and the constant rise in temperature, exacerbated by climate change. 

We delight in watching the territorial males patrolling the river's surface, waiting for the females to descend from their hiding places in the riparian trees. The females, as is typical in odonates, are less showy. Their pale brown and blue colors are just as beautiful, and  their intense blue eyes seem to see everything.

Neoneura maria female. Cambute River, Guanabacoa, Havana. Photo by Ana María Hernández.

In this river, we were able to photograph this species mating for the first time.

Neoneura maria. Cambute River, Guanabacoa, Havana. Photo by Ana María Hernández.

We were also able to photograph its ovipositing habits. This damselfly mostly oviposits in groups, in tandem, with the male erect and not flapping his wings.

Neoneura maria group oviposition. Cambute River, Guanabacoa, Havana. Photo by Ana María Hernández.

He holds the female by her prothorax with his cerci while she curves her abdomen to insert her eggs onto floating rafts of plant fragments, but also—sadly—onto plastic bottles and containers that pollute the river. We hope that the data we collect will be used to propose viable management plans, especially focused on the conservation of this species' freshwater habitat.

Neoneura maria ovipositing surrounded by bottles and garbage dumped in the river. Cambute River, Guanabacoa, Havana. Photo by Ana María Hernández.

The main stakeholders and beneficiaries of these actions will be the local communities. Our presence on the river attracts the attention of the locals, and especially the children who sometimes accompany us. They are amazed and incredulous when we teach them about the beauty that inhabits their river. 

We trust that these children will become the guardians of this hidden treasure in Havana.

Ana Maria Hernández lives in Havana, Cuba, where she works as researcher at the Genetics for Conservation group, Faculty of Biology at the University of Havana. She is leading the project Population genetic and ecological aspects of endemic odonatans species in western Cuba.  Contact email: maraborys42@gmail.com.

ARGIA 37(4) Available for Download

The latest issue of ARGIA is available for download

This issue contains:

Information on our 2026 Grant Program

The first sneak peek at the 2026 DSA Annual Meeting, which will be held in Hot Springs, NC in June 2026.

The next Nymph Cove installment, in which we begin our look at damselfly nymphs - Lestidae and Platystictidae

Some really excellent articles, lots of new records, and a slew of wonderful photographs of metallic/iridescent odes

and more!

Species of the Month

Sarracenia Spiketail (Zoraena sarracenia) at Middle Branch Bog (Natchitoches Parish, LA), 18-March-2011, photo by John C. Abbott.

December 2025 Species of the Month:

Sarracenia Spiketail (Zoraena sarracenia)

This month’s DSA species focus is the Sarracenia Spiketail (Zoraena sarracenia), formerly Cordulegaster sarracenia. The Sarracenia Spiketail is the most recently discovered species new to science from the United States. It is sometimes nicknamed “the Pitcher Plant Spiketail,” and is approximately two-and-a-half inches long (6.35 centimeters). The Sarracenia Spiketail is an early spring dragonfly found in bogs—often alongside the pale pitcher plant—in eastern Texas and western Louisiana. Read on to learn about its discovery from our guest blogger, John Abbott, who, together with Troy Hibbitts, described the species.

A Boggy Adventure 

Back in April 2010, Nick and Ailsa Donnelly came to Austin—where I was Curator of Entomology at The University of Texas—to visit their son Andrew and his family. They made this trip once or twice a year, and we’d often plan a field adventure around it. This time, our sights were set on the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Greg Lasley joined us, and the four of us headed south, eager to see what we could find.

 

The weather, however, had other plans. It turned into a soggy trip to South Texas. On April 19, we stopped at the Santa Margarita Ranch near Roma and managed to find a few Sulphur-tipped Clubtails (Phanogomphus militaris) and Powdered Dancers (Argia moesta), but that was about it. The skies stayed gray, and the rain kept us grounded. By the next day, we were huddled in my car, trying to stay warm and dry, wondering what to do next.

 

That’s when I mentioned an email I’d just received from Troy Hibbitts. He and his dad, Terry, had recently photographed an odd Spiketail (Zoraena sp.; formerly Cordulegaster) in East Texas—a female that didn’t seem to fit any known species from the area. The photos were intriguing. We all looked at each other and thought, why not? Since nothing was flying in the Valley, we decided to chase this mystery dragonfly instead. 

Nearly 500 miles and more than eight hours of driving later, we rolled into East Texas. The next day, at Boykin Springs Recreation Area near Jasper, we met up with Martin Reid. Nick netted a male of the mystery dragonfly, and we collected a few more before the end of the season. 

Sarracenia Spiketail hiding behind a pale pitcher plant (Sarracenia alata) at Boykin Springs Recreation Area (the type locality) (Angelina Co., TX), 7-April-2016, Photo by John C. Abbott.

Sarracenia Spiketail at Middle Branch Bog (Natchitoches Parish, LA), 18-March-2011, photo by John C. Abbott.

It was clear we had something new. Between field trips, I shuttled the Donnellys back to Austin and taught a class, but we weren’t done yet. The following week, Greg, Kendra Abbott, and I were headed to Big Bend for a Colima Warbler census—and decided to take the long way, a 600-mile detour through Jasper, to look for the spiketail again.

 

As it turned out, Troy and Terry weren’t the first to photograph this species. The year before, Rick Nirschl had captured it in Big Thicket National Preserve (OC#312438), and in early April 2010, Gary Spicer photographed one at Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area (OC#318429). Both records had been uploaded to Odonata Central but were originally identified as Twin-spotted Spiketails (Zoraena maculata). It was a great reminder of how powerful community science can be—and how, just like in museum drawers, discoveries are waiting to be found in digital archives too.

 

The next year, we focused on finding more populations. All three initial sites—Boykin Springs, Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area, and the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket—had one thing in common: the presence of pitcher plants (Sarracenia alata). That gave us a big clue. Joined by U.S. Forest Service wildlife biologist Steve Shively and his family, we formed a strong Spiketail search team.

Sarracenia Spiketail (Zoraena sarracenia) search team at Peason Ridge Wildlife Management Area (Natchitoches Parish, LA). From left to right: Terry Hibbitts, Marla Hibbitts, Troy Hibbitts, Steve Shively, Micah Shively, Seth Shively, Tanya Shively, Greg Lasley, Kendra Abbott, and John Abbott. 18 March 2011, photo by John C. Abbott.

Before long, we’d found the species in Louisiana too—most notably at Middle Branch Bog in Kisatchie National Forest, home to a stunning community of pitcher plants.

Pitcher plants in Sarracenia Spiketail habitat at Middle Branch Bog (Natchitoches Parish, LA), 28-Mar-2017, Photo by John C. Abbott

Later that year, Troy and I formally described the species (Abbott & Hibbitts, 2011) and named it Cordulegaster sarracenia—the Sarracenia Spiketail—in honor of the pitcher plants it is so often found with. It is most closely related to Say’s Spiketail (Zoraena sayi). Note that in 2025, Schneider et al. moved nearly all North American Cordulegaster species, including sarracenia, into the genus Zoraena.

 

The nymph  lives in shallow, mucky rivulets within bogs. I’ve done quite a bit of rearing and plan to publish some of the life history details soon.

Sarracenia Spiketail (Zoraena sarracenia) nymph, 14-Apr-2017, Photo by John C. Abbott

Kendra Abbott and I have also studied the population genetics of the species and, unfortunately, found very little genetic diversity.

 

In 2016, the Southeastern DSA meeting was held in Alexandria, Louisiana, with the Sarracenia Spiketail as one of our main targets. It was a productive and fun meeting—participants were thrilled to see this rare dragonfly in person.

Sarracenia Spiketail (Zoraena sarracenia) female hovering while looking for an oviposition location (Middle Branch Bog), 5-April-2016. Photo by John C. Abbott.

Since then, new sites have been found in eastern Texas and western Louisiana (see current distribution here), but its range remains limited. Still, every record feels like a small victory for this remarkable species,  born from a rainy detour and a spark of curiosity.

Our December blogger is John C. Abbott, Associate Professor, Chief Curator and Director of Museum of Research and Collections at The University of Alabama. John is the author of five books, including several specifically on Odonata, and the Princeton Field Guide to North American Insects. He is Managing Editor of the International Journal of Odonatology. Contact John at jabbott1@ua.edu.

 

References: 

Abbott, J. C. and T. D. Hibbitts. 2011. Cordulegaster sarracenia, n. sp (Odonata: Cordulegastridae) from east Texas and western Louisiana, with a key to adult Cordulegastridae of the New World. Zootaxa(2899): 60-68.

Schneider, T., A. Vierstraete, O. E. Kosterin, D. Ikemeyer, F. S. Hu, R. Novelo-Gutierrez, T. Kompier, L. Everett, Jr., O. Muller and H. J. Dumont. 2024. Molecular Phylogeny of the Family Cordulegastridae (Odonata) Worldwide. Insects 15(8).https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15080622

Species of the Month

Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens) male, Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Coal City, Illinois (7-5-25). Photo Cindy Crosby.

November 2025 Species of the Month

Double-striped Bluet Damselfly (Enallagma basidens)

The November “Species of the Month” is the Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens) damselfly, in the family Coenagrionidae, the Pond Damsels. These tiny bluets (about an inch long/2.54 centimeters) are unmistakable for their double thoracic stripes. Dennis Paulson tells us in his guide, Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East, that Double-striped Bluets are likely to be found in slow-moving streams with abundant emergent vegetation, around lakes, and in ponds. It’s a wide-ranging North American species (into Ontario, Canada) and also occurs in northern Mexico. It is expanding its range into the east and north portions of the United States, Paulson notes. Join DSA blog editor Cindy Crosby as she encounters this lovely diminutive species at an unlikely place.

A Very Prairie Cemetery Encounter

You never know where you’ll see a damselfly.

In 2025, my husband Jeff and I set out to do a “25 hikes in 2025”—exploring 25 different natural areas new to us in 25 Illinois counties over the year. Illinois, our home state for 27 years, was once covered by 22 million acres of tallgrass prairie. A lack of fire, which was needed to keep out trees and brush, paired with rapid development and the 1800’s invention of the John Deere plow decimated the prairie, and in one generation, almost all of it disappeared. Today, the Illinois Natural History Survey has found only about 2,300 acres of original prairie left in the state. Most of this is along old railroad rights-of-way, in corners of old farms, and on rocky hilltops, which were too difficult to cultivate. Some of the highest quality prairie remnants are in old pioneer cemeteries which were not cared for, mowed, or sprayed with herbicide and still have the original tallgrass vegetation.

Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Coal City, Illinois (7-5-25). Photo Cindy Crosby.

As a former prairie steward, I love to wander old tallgrass prairie remnants, relics of another time and place. It’s to one of these old cemeteries, Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, that we are headed today. In Coal City (Grundy County), just southwest of Chicago, this one-acre-plus resting place for some of Illinois’s first non-indigenous settlers was established in the mid-1800s.

It’s not easy to find. Google sends us to a farmhouse—not unusual for these old prairie remnant directions—which have also sent us to cornfields and gravel roads over the course of the past year. This is our 15th county in our 2025 hiking attempt, and we’ve been at it  long enough not to get discouraged. We know to keep driving and looking. 

Aha! A signpost beckons off a nearby road. We park and walk down a gravel road toward a gated cemetery. There, amid the broken headstones and sunken monuments, are the remnants of what once was our state’s “landscape of home.” Leadplant. Clustered poppy mallow. Wild bergamot. All the signs of a remnant tallgrass prairie.

Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Coal City, Illinois (7-5-25). Photo Cindy Crosby.

Plenty of poison ivy, too. We step carefully as we explore. The July heat is oppressive, but the beauty of the native prairie wildflowers keeps us “oohing” and “ahhing.”  Among the headstones is an unexpected surprise: the cemetery is alive with dragonflies and damselflies.

Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) female, on clustered poppy mallow, Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie, Coal City, Illinois. (7-5-25) Photo Cindy Crosby.

Eastern Amberwings are having one of their best seasons in recent memory, and they have turned out in force today.

Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) male, Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Coal City, Illinois (7-5-25). Photo Cindy Crosby.

There are many other odonate species, including the usual Midwestern ones such as the Widow Skimmers (Libellula luctuosa). But the most abundant species are the Double-striped Bluet damselflies. Everywhere.

Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens) male, Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Coal City, Illinois (7-5-25). Photo Cindy Crosby.

Tiny bluets are in motion around our feet, low in the grasses. Many are in the wheel position.

Double-striped Bluets (Enallagma basidens) male and female in the wheel, Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Coal City, Illinois (7-5-25). Photo Cindy Crosby.

In my more than two decades of collecting data on dragonflies and damselflies as a citizen scientist for a number of organizations, I could count the number of Double-striped Bluets I’ve seen on one hand. Why are there so many here? It’s overwhelming.

Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens) male, Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Coal City, Illinois (7-5-25). Photo Cindy Crosby.

Perhaps unusual among the bluets is that the Double-striped Bluet is fairly simple to identify. I have terrible eyesight, so my close-focus binoculars and camera’s zoom lens help me zero in on the damselflies. Once in focus, I can tell the females and males both have the double thoracic stripe. I know from my field guides that they are one of the “blue-type bluets,” predominantly blue with black markings. Is there anything as tiny and blue as a male Double-striped Bluet? Their diminutive size seems to emphasize their color. Little azure sparks in motion. The females I see in the Midwest are lovely, with their tan coloration tending toward light blue.

Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens) female, Short Pioneer Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve, Coal City, Illinois (7-5-25). Photo Cindy Crosby.

I know from my guide Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East that these bluets are usually found around slow streams, lake edges, and ponds. No water is in evidence here, but I imagine there is a pond or stream just out of sight. Speaking of water…a drink sounds good right now. Hot, sweaty, and yes—beaten by the oppressive heat—we finally leave the old cemetery. Like all of our hikes this year, this one has been full of wonderful surprises. Jeff and I thought we knew what we were going to see, and indeed, we did see remnant prairie wildflowers and grasses and plenty of Illinois’ history.

But the real delight of this preserve was its diversity of damselflies and dragonflies. I’ll always remember these Double-striped Bluets, magical among the gravestones and monuments. An ancient species, in one of Illinois’s older cemeteries. I like to think the pioneers buried here would be happy to know their resting place is now an honored, protected place of such color, motion, and joy.

Cindy Crosby has been editor of Dragonfly Society of the America’s “Species of the Month” blog since its inception in 2021. Her most recent book is “Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History” (Northwestern University Press). She leads a team that collects data at Nachusa Grasslands, a 4,000-acre Nature Conservancy site in Franklin Grove, Illinois, and another team that does the same at 2,318-acre The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. She and her husband, Jeff, begin their hikes from their home just west of Chicago, where they enjoy the dragonflies that come to their small suburban yard and tiny pond. Contact Cindy at phrelanzer@gmail.com. She’s always looking for blog contributors.

ARGIA 37(3) Available for Download

The latest issue of ARGIA is available for download

This issue contains:

- The first president’s report from our new DSA President, Ami Thompson

- Minutes from the 2025 Annual Meeting

- In Memoriam of Thomas “Nick” W Donnelly, 1932–2025

- The next Nymph Cove installment, our first foray into damselfly nymph ID with the guide to Calopterygidae 

- Some really great articles, new records, and parting shots

- and more!

Species of the Month

The male of Erythiagrion alidae, and the first mature adult of the species ever photographed. Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Conservation Area, Peru; 2 April 2023. Photo Maximilian Christie

October 2025 Species of the Month

Erythiagrion alidae

DSA’s  species of the month for October is Erythiagrion alidae, a Peruvian damselfly belonging to the family Coenagrionidae (colloquially known as pond damselflies). E. alidae (as well as the genus Erythiagrion) was described in 2025 by Max Christie, Emmy Medina-Espinoza, and Tim Faasen. According to their paper, this species is 32-36 mm in length, and inhabits flooded blackwater forests with strangler fig trees. Read on to hear Max’s exciting account of the discovery and description of Erythiagrion alidae.

A Peruvian Adventure

Each dragon has a legend, every damsel has a tale to tell. Odonata’s endless forms most beautiful boast greater riches than any Roman hoard or pharaoh’s tomb, so glamorous are these jewels of Arthropoda. 

I’ve had the great privilege of describing one such jewel, whose tale I’m telling you today. Erythiagrion alidae is named after two important figures. Erythiagrion references Erythia, one of the Hesperides sisters who guard the sacred boughs of the golden apple tree. The Hesperides are nymphs of the golden light of sunset in Greek mythology, and so the name is a nod to the yellow and red tones of this damsel. The species epithet, meanwhile, is in honour of my wonderful mother Alida, whose love and support gave this project its wings. 

 

The story begins in April 2023 when, aged fifteen, I conducted a survey of the damselflies of Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve, nestled in Peru’s Amazon jungle. I netted and photographed around 40 species of Zygoptera in two weeks, across habitats including black and white water rivers, terra firme, higher and lower restinga, oxbow lakes, and igapó forest. One day, when sampling in flooded tahuampa (blackwater) forest, E. alidae and I crossed paths by chance.

 

The first time E. alidae regarded me, with wonder etched upon its impish face, I think it was the eyes that most bewitched me. The male’s eye glistens like an emerald sphere with a black, earthen crust encroaching from above. The sort of lustrous thing you’d find down a mine in the depths of Tolkien’s imagination. 

The male of Erythiagrion alidae, and the first mature adult of the species ever photographed. Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Conservation Area, Peru; 2 April 2023. Photo Maximilian Christie

Below these eyes, E. alidae sports a rounded frons. This gives the visage a distinctly friendly tone and so, despite the hues of yellow and charcoal black, there is nothing wasp-like in those features whatsoever. Yellow and black stripes adorn this damsel for the most part, save for the tip of the abdomen, which seems to have been dipped in scarlet flames.

 

When I sent my photos of this Odonate to Tim Faasen, a Dutch odonatologist and my mentor, he confirmed that this was the first adult of three teneral specimens he had collected in previous years. What’s more, this damsel belonged to a novel species from a genus new to science. Needless to say I was thrilled by such a revelation.

 

In April 2024, I returned to Peru with authorization to collect specimens of this undescribed species. I embarked on the expedition with the knowledge that finding a particular species twice can prove fiendishly tricky. In spite of this, Hersog Chavez Yuyarima (my guide) and I found males of E. alidae on our first day in the field, and the first females two days later. 

The female of Erythiagrion alidae. Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Conservation Area, Peru; 8 April 2024. Photo Maximilian Christie

All these forest wisps were spied within the sprawling roots of strangler fig trees (Ficus sp.). In fact, all fifteen specimens of E. alidae that I collected were found within the roots of the same plant. To have conspecific damselfly populations aggregating around particular trees with such fidelity is distinctly unordinary. The population I observed likely comprised fairly young adults, as only a few unsuccessful attempts from males to initiate copula were witnessed.

It seems probable that the strangler fig plays an important role in the survival or reproduction of E. alidae. Teneral specimens have been recorded as early as February, and their flight season likely extends to at least the end of April. The tahuampa and igapó forests that these damselflies inhabit flood seasonally with black water, and are dry roughly between the months of June and October. E. alidae is almost certainly not on the wing during this period, so the question is: how does it survive the dry months of the year? One theory is that water retained between the roots of the strangler fig maintains a suitable aquatic environment for larvae. Alternatively, E. alidae could wait out the dry season as an egg, or even as an aestivating adult. These latter hypotheses would require highly accelerated larval development.

Looking for Erythiagrion alidae in the roots of a strangler fig tree. Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Conservation Area, Peru; 8 April 2024. Photo Hersog Chavez Yuyarima

As my time in Peru drew to an end, I made provisional photographs of E. alidae under the microscope at the Museo de Historia Natural in Lima with the help of Emmy Medina-Espinoza. Then, in the summer of 2024, I wrestled with the task of describing a species new to science.

Considering each intricacy of my specimens, then constructing them with words was almost meditative. Take, for instance, the genital ligula of E. alidae, which bears two pairs of lateral processes. Looking up at the proximal pair they appear thorn-like, with finely serrated edges and pricking spines at their tips. The distal pair, meanwhile, are broad and blunt in a stoic sort of way. Viewed laterally, each calls to mind the dorsal fin of a Silky Shark, just breaching the ocean’s surface. Continuing further down the abdomen, the male cercus (which is shorter than the paraproct) resembles a leaf in autumn fire, and the female cerci could be likened to stubby, blood-red fangs. In the male hindwing there is a black wingspot caudally bordering the pterostigma … rather wonderful, don’t you think?

A close-up image of the male posterior prothoracic lobe process, taken at the Museum of Natural History in Lima. The structure resembles a grand anvil … or perhaps a banana on a pedestal (depending on how you look at it!) Erythiagrion alidae; Museo de Historia Natural, Lima, Peru; 15 April 2024. Photo  Maximilian Christie

In June 2025, almost a year after I began work on the specimens, the paper describing Erythiagrion and its type species was published in the International Journal of Odonatology, complete with other sections written by my co-authors, Tim and Emmy, and myself. Revising each new draft of the species description based on the insightful comments of Tim (and later our peer reviewers) was extremely fulfilling. Thanks to E. alidae, my life has been full of damselflies these past few years. I can only hope my next few are the same.

Max Christie is a high school student living in the United Kingdom. His passion for damselflies began on the banks of a stream in a Tuscan woodland. You can contact him at mcf.christie@gmail.com

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