SE AZ - 9/11-14/2010
Dad and I decided to make a run out to SE AZ to chase some species we hadn't seen yet. Our primary targets were Desert Shadowdamsel (no joy), Malachite Darner (I got shots), and Persephone's Darner (we both got shots). We also had a secondary list which we did well on (including several Argia) and we had a couple of tantalizing fly-by's of Odes we'd really liked to have gotten shots of . . .
9/11/2010 (Saturday)
Started out at Gila Box Riparian Conservation Area. Had good numbers of Odes (particularly White-belted Ringtails) right in camp up on the ridge shortly after sunrise, but we spend most of our time down on Bonita Creek at Serna Cabin Picnic Area. Don't know for sure if this is "THE SPOT" for Shadowdamsels or not, but we didn't turn up any in about 3 hours of searching whatever dark places we could find. Lots of evidence of VERY high waters along here as well - might the high waters have reduced their numbers? We saw evidence of flooding elsewhere reducing damsel (Argia numbers), although there were plenty of Argia here. Our list for the area was as follows:
American Rubyspots (Hetaerina americana) lots
Lavender Dancer (Argia hinei) 4-5
Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) lots
Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) lots
Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta) 10+
Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) 3
Springwater Dancer (Argia plana) 10+
Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) lots
Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) 1
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) 1
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) lots
Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) 10+
Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) lots
Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) 2
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 1
Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) 2-3
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeshna multicolor) 4-5
White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus) lots
Serpent Ringtail (Erpetogomphus lampropeltis) 2
Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) lots
Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) 1
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) 1 female
Comanche Skimmer (Libellula comanche) 1
Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) 1
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) lots
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) 1
Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) lots
Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) 1
Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) 1
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) lots
After Bonita Creek, we drove over to Muleshoe Preserve to search Bass Canyon for Argia and Remartina. On way in, stopped at a roadside pond where we had:
Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) lots
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) lots
At Bass Canyon, we were successful in finding all 3 of our primary targets (Remartina, Argia pima, and A. tarascana). Searched there from about 3-6 pm. Found:
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) 2-3
Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) lots
Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) 1
Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) lots
Lavender Dancer (Argia hinei) lots
Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) lots
Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) 1
Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) 2
Springwater Dancer (Argia plana) lots
Pima Dancer (Argia pima) 1
Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) 10+
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) lots
Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) lots
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 1
Malachite Darner (Remartina luteipennis) 1
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeshna multicolor) 1
Serpent Ringtail (Erpetogomphus lampropeltis) 4-5
Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) 1
Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) 1
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) lots
Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) 2-3
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hyemenea) 1
Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) 2
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) 1
9/12/2010 (Sunday)
Slept overnight in Gardner Canyon where we met some friends of mine (not into Odes). From there, we drove to Patagonia Lake State Park. Intended to search below the dam, with the hopes of finding Mexican Amberwing, Malachite Darners (since Dad didn't get shots yesterday), and Gray Sanddragons (a bug Dad needed). However, since none of us had been to Patagonia Lake State Park in over 15 years, we didn't remember how to get to the Dam and didn't realize that dam access was via Patagonia Lake State PRESERVE, adjacent to the State Park - in fact, we didn't realize this until we were leaving the State Park on our way to Sycamore. Oh well, live and learn. At Patagonia Lake, we did get one of our targets, the Mexican Amberwing. In all, found:
Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) lots
Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) lots
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula) lots
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 10+
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeshna multicolor) lots
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) 2
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) 1
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) lots
Mexican Amberwing (Plathemis intensa) 3
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerta) 2
Headed over to Sycamore Canyon. Stopped along the way to search Spring fed pond at Pena Blanca Canyon. Found:
Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) 3-4
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) lots
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) lots
Mexican Forktail (Ishnura demorsa) lots
Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) lots
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 4-5
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) 1 male
Plateau Dragonlet (Erythodiplax basifusca) 4-5
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) 5-6
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) 5-6
Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) 10+
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerta) 5-6
At Sycamore Canyon, had good sun when we started but soon became cloudy and overcast. Argia numbers started off good, but soon declined. However, we still got our primary target in Argia sabino, as well as picking up my first Spot-winged Meadowhawks (another targer for me - Dad got these last year). Found:
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina american) 5-6
Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) 1
Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) 4-5
Lavender Dancer (Argia hinei) lots
Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) 1
Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) 2-3
Amethyst Dancer (Argia pallens) 2-3
Springwater Dancer (Argia plana) 4-5
Sabino Dancer (Argia sabino) 2 - male & female
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) lots
Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) 5-6
Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) 10+
Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) lots
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 4-5
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeshna multicolor) 1
Serpent Ringtail (Erpetogomphus lampropeltis) 4
Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) 1
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) lots
Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) 1
Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) 2
Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) 1
Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) 4
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) 4-5
Spot-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum signiferum) 2
We ended our day searching a pond on Ruby Road near the pass above Sycamore, hoping to sift through the Bluets there to find a Claw-tipped. No luck there, but there were literally thousands of Bluets present in the bushes on the slopes above the pond. Found:
Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) lots
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) lots
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) lots
Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) lots
Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) lots
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 10+
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) 1
Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) 1
9/13/2010 (Monday)
Camped at Parker Canyon Lake. Once sun hit the area, saw a few Odes:
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) 10+
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerta) 1-2
Our primary target today was Persephone's Darner, which took us into Scotia Canyon. I know this area very well from previous herping (reptile & amphibian) trips, so where to look for stuff. Searched both the open pond habitats as well as the wooded streams, so got a good mix of species. Got the Persephone's in good numbers, Dad added Riffle & Arroyo Darners, and we had a tantalizing fly-by by an Apache Spiketail that could not be refound. Also had Cardinal & Spot-winged Meadowhawks, so lots of good stuff here. Also found an Arizona Mt Kingsnake to photograph.
Searched here from 8:00-12:30, finding:
Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) 10+
Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) 2 - photos
Springwater Dancer (Argia plana) lots
Tonto Dancer (Argia tonto) 5-6
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) lots
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) lots
Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) lots
Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) 10+
Persephone's Darner (Aeshna persephone) 10+
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 3-4
Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna armata) 3-4
Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) lots
Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) 1
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) 1
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) lots
Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illiotum) 1
Spot-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum signiferum) 2
Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) 1
Stopped to check out Double Tanks Range Study area, found:
Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) 3-4
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) 10+
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) 10+
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 10+
Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) 1
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) 10+
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) 10+ - photos
Dad had had good luck searching Bear Creek on the SW side of the Huachucas last year. This year, flood waters had scoured the creek and creekbed of most organic material, and ode numbers were (according to Dad's records) noticeably lower than expected. Found:
Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) 1
Lavender Dancer (Argia hinei) 10+
Springwater Dancer (Argia plana) 10+
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) 10+
Serpent Ringtail (Erpetogomphus lampropeltis) 4-5
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) 2-3
Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) lots
Decided to head back to Gila Box to search a different spot on Bonita Creek on Tuesday . . .
9/14/2010 (Tuesday)
Had limited time to search here, as I told my wife I'd try to be home before 11 pm (and its an 11 hour drive). Searched Bonita Creek at Bull Gap Road (is this "THE SPOT" for Shadowdamsels?) from 7:45-8:30, finding:
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) lots
Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) lots
Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) 10+
Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) 4-5
Springwater Dancer (Argia plana) lots
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) lots
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) 2-3
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) 4-5
White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus) 4-5
Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) lots
Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) 1
Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox) 1
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) 1
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) lots
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) 1
Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) 2-3
Dad really wanted to search for a Gray Sanddragon, so we spend about 30-45 minutes searching along the Gila River at Dry Canyon Boat Take Out Area. No Sanddragons, but Dad had a fly-by by a Western River Cruiser! Found:
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina american) 4-5
Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) 4-5
Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta) lots
Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) 4-5
White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus) lots
Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica) 1
Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) lots
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hyemenea) 4-5
Left at 9:30 am (AZ time = 11:30 am Texas Time) and headed home with no stops for Odes.