Patuxent Research Refuge on September 23rd & 28th

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I spent several hours last Tuesday and Sunday looking for southern dispersing individuals of Mosaic Darners (Aeshna species) at the Patuxent Research Refuge.  Every few years the combination of weather patterns and population numbers up north will send an influx of usually northern Mosaic Darners down into Central Maryland where they have been known to establish a short-term population before once again winking out of existence.   My hopes for this year were elevated when I picked up a Black-tipped Darner during the Fall Bird Count at Rockburn Branch Park in Howard County.  See: Male Black-Tipped Darner at Rockburn Branch Park | Black-tip… | Flickr 

However, none were found at the Refuge on September 23^rd or the 28th.  I will continue checking for them through mid-October in the hopes of picking them up. Aeshna tuberculifera or A. verticalis are my most likely species.  The Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa) is the only Mosaic Darner that is established at the Refuge, but Aeshna verticalis (Green-striped Darner) has in the past ventured down and developed ephemeral populations lasting only a couple of years before disappearing.

I checked last Tuesday various ponds on the Central Tract and last Sunday Sundew Bog and Cattail Pond on the North tract. Found a better assortment of butterflies than dragonflies.

Dragonflies Seen: 

Great Spreadwing -- 1

Citrine Forktails — 9 — See: Male Citrine Forktail | Male Citrine Forktail Patuxent Resea… | Flickr 

Fragile Forktails -- 9

Common Green Darners -- 3

Eastern Pondhawks -- 4

Slaty Skimmers -- 3

Great Blue Skimmer -- 1

Common Whitetails -- 8

Autumn Meadowhawk -- 1

Black Saddlebags -- 1

Butterflies Seen:

Cabbage Whites -- 2

Clouded Sulphur -- 1

Orange Sulphurs -- 2

Little Yellow -- 1

Sleepy Orange -- 1

Eastern Tailed Blues — 12+ — See: Eastern Tailed Blue on Beggar-ticks Flower | Eastern Tailed … | Flickr 

Gray Hairstreak -- 1

Common Buckeyes — 11+ — See: Common Buckeye | Common Buckeye. Patuxent Research Refuge, A… | Flickr 

Pearl Crescents -- 28+

Variegated Fritillarys -- 2

Great Spangled Fritillary -- 1

Red-spotted Purple -- 1

Wild Indigo Duskywing? — 1 — See: Wild Indigo Duskywing | Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis bapti… | Flickr  — Please check my identification on this one

Common Checkered Skippers — 12+ — all at one location, Lemon Bridge Road at the Powerline crossing — See: Common Checkered Skipper | Common Checkered Skipper. Patuxen… | Flickr 

Least Skippers — 24+

Sachems -- 5

Swarthy Skipper -- 1

Fiery Skipper — 1 — See: Fiery Skipper on Goldenrod | Male Fiery Skipper (Hylephila p… | Flickr 

Richard Orr

[Rick Borchelt]

Yep, Wild Indigo DW

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Rick Borchelt
College Park, MD
preferred personal email:  rborchelt |AT| gmail |DOT| com

http://leplog.wordpress.com