[Odonata-l] effects of rain on Ode numbers

[John and Sue Gregoire <khmo@att.net>]

This is a fascinating subject. My 2 cents:

In 2006 we had a rather large number of Celthemis elisa emerge from one of our ponds. It was a very rainy year, so my field notes are interesting. During a 2 day period of heavy rain, both day and night, hundreds emerged each day. They made their maiden flight into the Goldenrods around the pond OK but probably ran into problems with wet wings sticking to wet vegetation and starved to death. That species emergence was much lower this year.

As to death: how can you tell when a dragonfly is actually dead? We once placed a headless Anax on our bench to see what would happen. His wings fluttered AND he continued to defecate for three days. Surely, without a head, he was "dead", but the autonomic reflexes were still activated.

Sue G. 

--
John & Sue Gregoire 
Field Ornithologists 
Kestrel Haven Avian Migration 
Observatory 
5373 Fitzgerald Road 
Burdett, NY 14818-9626 
"Conserve & Create HABITAT" 
http://home.att.net/~kestrelhaven/ 
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