Catoctin Mountains last Thursday June 25, 2026

[odona...@comcast.net]

Bonnie Ott and I made a visit to the Catoctin Mountains in Frederick County last Thursday (June 25th).  We started off walking Tower Road, then explored the environs around Lower Sandflat and Silhouette Pond.  We ended up stopping along the road at Gamble’s State Park to examine the flowering Black Cohosh for Appalachian Azures.  One Azure was found ovipositing on the flower buds of Black Cohosh, but due to its small size it was likely not an Appalachian Azure but more likely a Summer Azure. See: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowbon/55357126254/in/dateposted/ 

It always surprises me that the Catoctin Fire Pond dragonfly flight periods extend so long after the same species flight periods have ended at Patuxent Research Refuge.  Both Common Baskettails and Blue Corporals have long since stopped flying at the Refuge but were still active at the Fire Ponds.

And yes, before someone asks, I saw no Blue Dashers at the ponds?????????

DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES SEEN:

Southern Spreadwings (Lestes australis) – 2

Slender Spreadwings (Lestes rectangularis) – 6 – See: Male Slender Spreadwing | Slender Spreadwing (Lestes rectang… | Flickr 

Swamp Spreadwings (Lestes vigilax) – 8 – See: Male Swamp Spreadwing | Swamp Spreadwing (Lestes vigilax). C… | Flickr

Violet Dancers (Argia fumipennis) – 3

Azure Bluet (Enallagma aspersum) – 1

Skimmer Bluets (Enallagma geminatum) – 20+

Citrine Forktails (Ischnura hastata) – 3

Fragile Forktails (Ischnura posita) – 8

Eastern Forktails (Ischnura verticalis) – 6

Black-shouldered Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spinosus) – 1 – See: Black-Shouldered Spinylegs on Leaf | Black-shouldered Spinyl… | Flickr 

Common Green Darners (Anax junius) – 2

American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffi) – 1

Common Baskettails (Epitheca cynosura) -- 5

Calico Pennants (Celithemis elisa) – 30+

Eastern Pondhawks (Erythemis simplicicollis) – 4

Golden-winged Skimmer (Libellula auripennis) – 1 – See: Female Golden-Winged Skimmer - 1 | Young female Golden-winge… | Flickr  &  Female Golden-Winged Skimmer - 2 | Young female Golden-winge… | Flickr & Female Golden-Winged Skimmer - 3 | Young female Golden-winge… | Flickr 

Spangled Skimmers (Libellula cyanea) – 9

Slaty Skimmers (Libellula incesta) – 30+

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) -- 1

Common Whitetails (Plathemis lydia) – 2

Blue Dashers (Pachydiplax longipennis) – 60+

Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum) – 1 – teneral male

Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) -- 4

Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) -- 6

 

BUTTERFLIES SEEN:

Zebra Swallowtails – 3

Eastern Tailed Blues – 2

Azures – 6 – See: Azure in the Catoctin Mountains | Azure (Celastrina sp.) Cat… | Flickr 

Edwards’ Hairstreak – 1 – See: Edwards' Hairstreak | Edwards' Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsi… | Flickr 

Great Spangled Fritillaries – 3

Mourning Cloak -- 1

American Lady -- 1

Silver-spotted Skipper – 1

Least Skippers – 3

 

Richard Orr

[Rick Borchelt]

Sand Flat is/was always one of my go-to places for Comet Darner.  Not flying yet, or absent this year?

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

http://leplog.wordpress.com

[odona...@comcast.net]

I expected to see Comet Darners and scanned the ponds for them to no avail.  I have also not seen them at Patuxent Research Refuge this year either. They should be on the wing.  Not sure what is going on.  

Richard

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From: mdlep...@googlegroups.com <mdlep...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Rick Borchelt <rbor...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2026 12:34 PM
To: mdlep...@googlegroups.com <mdlep...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [MDLepsOdes] Catoctin Mountains last Thursday June 25, 2026

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