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Florida 2015

This was a photographic trip that I went on with my oldest son, Troy, for chasing dragonflies and damselflies that we had not seen before. Troy had researched the specific areas we needed to go to for the best chance of seeing odes.

June 27

Our first stop on our excursion was the Middle Branch Bog in Kistatchie National Forest in Natchitoches, Louisana.

LOUSIANA: Natchitoches Parrish, Middle Branch Bog in the Kistatchie National Forest

A couple of photos from here.

Argia bipunctulata (Seeage Dancer)

We stopped at a couple more spots before entering Mississippi for the afternoon. Atchafalaya NWR in St. Martin Parrish and the Pushpetapah Creek in Washington Parrish.

Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole)

Ancyloxypha numitor

Cicindela repanda

We checked out a forest road in southern Mississippi before going to our camp ground for the night.

Forest Road in Stone County, Mississippi

Macromia illinoiensis (Swift River Crusier)

Somatochlora provocans (Treetop Emerald)

June 28

Got up early and after looking at a couple of spots, we headed east. As we traveled east we stopped at several spots looking for what odes were flying.

I had never seen a Big Bluet, so we stopped at Mobile Causeway south east of Mobile off of I-10. Alabama: Mobile County.

Enallagma durum (Big Bluet)

Next stop was the Perdido River that separates Florida and Alabama. Escambia County, Florida and Baldwin County, Alabama. We found several odes and other things to photograph here.

Thamnophis sauritus (Eastern Ribbonsnake)

Argia tibialis (Blue-tipped Dancer)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Acris gryllus (Southeastern Cricket Frog)

Celithemis elisa (Calico Pennent) and Enallagma durum (Big Bluet)

Erythrodiplax minuscula (Little Blue Dragonlet)

Gomphurus dilatatus (Blackwater Clubtail)

Libellula flavida (Yellow-sided Skimmer)

Libellula incesta (Slaty Skimmer)

Next stop was at Cold Water Road Horse trail Beaverponds in Santa Rosa County, Florida

Celithemis amanda (Amanda's Pennent)

Celithemis fasciata (Banded Pennent)

Celithemis ornata (Ornate Pennett)

Dromogomphus armatus (Southeastern Spinylegs)

Libellula auripennis (Golden-winged Skimmer)

Another quick stop was Juniper Creek in Calhoun County.

Urbanus proteus (Long-tailed Skipper)

Stylurus potulentus (Yellow-sided Clubtail)

Before going to our camp site for the night we stopped at a favorite site for emeralds. We didn't see any that we could get photos of, but I got my first Regal Darner.

Whittle Road and Whittle Lane, Gadsden County, Florida

Coryphaeschna ingens (Regal Darner)

Our last stop was Torreya State Park in Liberty County, Florida. Set up tent and took a photo of a toad.

Bufo terrestris (Southern Toad)

June 29

Early rise, packed and headed east. Our first stop was Cold Water Creek in northern Liberty County, Florida.

Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole) displaying

Argia fumipennis (Variable Dancer)

Calopteryx maculata (Ebony Jewelwing)

Dromogomphus armatus (Southeastern Spinyleg) female

Erynnis horatius (Horatius Duskywing)

Heterodon platirhinos (Eastern Hognose Snake) Taking a look around after playing dead.

Lubber Grasshopper

Prothonotary Warbler

We returmed to Whittle Road and Whittle Lane in Gadsden County Florida. The habitat does not look that great but the odes where flying pretty good this morning. We got our emeralds and then some.

Whittle Road in Gadsden County, Florida. Much of this area has been cut over, but the emeralds were still flying in the wooded areas.

Cicindelidia punctulata (Tiger Beetle)

Somatochlora calverti (Calvert's Emerald) posed

Somatochlora filosa (Fine-lined Emerald) posed

Troy taking a photo of a Laura's Clubtail

Stylurus laurae (Laura's Clubtail) female

On our way to central Florida. we found one of these crawling across the road. Wakulla County.

Crotalus adamatus (Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake)

Brief stop at Ecofina River Picnic area on US 98 in Taylor County. When you got to go, you got to go.

Dromogomphus spinosus (Black-shouldered Spinyleg)

Argia tibialis (Blue-tipped Dancer)

Orb weaver spider

Stopped at Ichetucknee Spring State Park in Columbia County, Florida to see if we could find a purple bluet.

Argia fumipennis (Variable Dancer)

Enallagma cardenium (Purple Bluet) immature

Lestes vigilax (Swamp Spreadwing)

Telebasis beyeri (Duckweed Firetail)

Our last stop for the day before finding a camping spot. Santa Fe River crossing at FL 27 in Columbia County, Florida.

Enallagma pollutum (Florida Bluet)

Enallagma signatum (Orange Bluet) Look at the difference between the terminal appendages of the two above.

Enallagma cardenium (Purple Bluet) immature

Telebasis beyeri (Duckweed Firetail)

Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog) newly transformed

We camped in the Ocala National Forest for the night. This was close to where we wanted to be the next morning.

June 30

First place that we checked out this morning was Farlie's Prairie Lake Picnic area in the Ocala National Forest, Marion County, Florida.

Aspidoscelis sexlineatus (Eastern Six-lined Racerunner)

Anatrytone logan

Celithemis amanda (Amanda's Pennent)

Celithemis bertha (Red-veined Pennent)

Celithemis eponina (Halloween Pennett)

Celithemis fasciata (Banded Pennett)

Libellula auripennis (Golden-winged Skimmer)

Libellula axilena (Bar-winged Skimmer)

Libellula jesseana (Purple Skimmer)

Libellula vibrans (Great Blue Skimmer)

Progomphus alachuensis (Tawny Sanddragon) female

Progomphus alachuensis (Tawny Sanddragon) male

Robberfly feeding on a Pond Hawk

Tramea carolina (Carolina Saddlebag)

We then headed over to Polk County at Loyce Harper Park to meet a couple of Troy's contacts to help us find a couple of dragonflies that are only common at that location.

Aphylla williamsoni (Two-striped Forceuptail)

Epitheca princeps (Prince Baskettail)

Miathyria marcella (Hyacinth Glider)

Tauriphila australis (Garnet Glider) posed. What we were looking for.

Tauriphila azteca (Aztec Glider) posed. Another one we were looking for.

After visiting one of the contacts, Troy and I headed back up to Tallahassee, Florida. We stayed in a motel at Quincy that night.

July 1

Up early to hit a few more places on the way back west. We decided to go back to Whittle Road again in Gadsden County. We were trying to find a Coppery Emerald that had been reported from that area in the past.

Epitheca sepia (Sepia Baskettail)

Libellula axilena (Bar-winged Skimmer)

Macromia illinoiensis (Swift River Crusier)

Progomphus bellei (Belle's Sanddragon) male

Progomphus bellei (Belle's Sanddragon) female

Papilio palamedes (Palamedes Swallowtail)

Somatochlora calverti (Calvert's Emerald) posed and unposed

Somatochlora calverti (Calvert's Emerald) unposed

Somatochlora filosa (Fine-lined Emerald) posed

Stopped at Sweetwater Creek south of Toyaha. No photos. Then again at Juniper Creek off of FL 20 in Calhoun County.

Enallagma doubledayi (Atlantic Bluet)

Erynnis horatius (Horatius Duskywing)

Another place we stopped was Sweetwater Creek near Munson, Santa Rosa County. I was looking for Townes Clubtail, no luck.

Argia moesta (Powdered Dancer)

Calopteryx dimidiata (Sparkling Jewelwing)

Gomphaeschna antilope (Taper-tailed Darner)

We then headed for Mississippi. Stopped for the night at Farily Bridge Landing campground in Polk County.

July 2

We got up before sunrise to see if we could find any Coppery Emeralds on the forest road we had luck on early on the trip. No luck on the Coppery's, but did find a few other neat odes.