[Odonata-l] Quebec Emerald found in Minnesota

[June Tveekrem]

The Quebec Emerald, Somatochlora brevicincta, has been found in 
northeastern Minnesota. From what I've been able to ascertain, this 
is the first record from the north central US or central Canada.

This species is known from eastern Canada (Quebec, New Brunswick, 
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland), northern Maine, and a western population 
in British Columbia.

In July 2005, a male brevicincta was sighted by Kurt Mead and June 
Tveekrem. Kurt netted it and June took detailed photos, but due to 
an identification error the specimen was not kept.

In March 2006, several experts were able to identify it from the photos.

In July 2006 a voucher specimen was collected by Wayne Steffans, a 
member of a search party led by Kurt Mead. The specimen was found in 
the same location as the year before.

Details and all the photographs are posted at
http://www.toadmail.com/~minnodon/brevicincta/


Finding the species two years in a row suggests to Kurt and me that 
the first individual was not a wandering vagrant. However, we do not 
know whether there is a breeding population or whether they are 
migrants.


-- 
June Tveekrem
Columbia, Maryland
damselfly AT toadmail DOT com