Patuxent Research Refuge May 1, 3, 5, 8 & 10, 2026

[odona...@comcast.net]

This is a busy time of the year for me.  I apologize for having to condense 5 days into a single email.  Bonnie Ott accompanied me on May 1st, but I was by myself on the other 4 days.  Two days were spent on the North Tract, one day on the Central Tract and two days on the South Tract.  Individual dragonfly numbers are low this year with some species like the Basketails having a really poor showing.  In the big picture, my feeling is that the current drought is forcing early emergence (so far this year I have 7 new early odonate species records) and the periods of extended cool weather are taking its toll on the freshly emerged dragonflies' ability to find food.  I have combined the total numbers observed on each day in the list below.  Did not spend much effort chasing butterflies, but it appears that it might become a good year at the Refuge for Dusted Skippers which just showed up yesterday.

DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES SEEN:

Ebony Jewelwings (Calopteryx maculata) — 2 — an early record for the Refuge

Southern Spreadwing (Lestes australis) — 1 

Blue-tipped Dancer (Argia tibialis) -- 6

Lilypad Forktails (Ischnura kellicotti) -- 9 — an early record for the Refuge

Fragile Forktails (Ischnura posita) -- 18

Eastern Forktails (Ischnura verticalis) -- 2

Lancet Clubtails (Phanogomphus exilis) — 4 — See: Lancet Clubtail at Duvall Bridge | Male Lancet Clubtail (Pha… | Flickr 

Ashy Clubtails  (Phanogomphus lividus) — 36+ adults and 10 cast skins — See: Ashy Clubtail at Patuxent Marsh | Female Ashy Clubtail (Phan… | Flickr 

Rapids Clubtail (Phanogomphus quadricolor) — 1 cast skin — an early record for the Refuge

Common Green Darner (Anax junius) -- 1

Springtime Darners (Basiaeschna janata) -- 3

Swamp Darners (Epiaeschna heros) -- 8

Harliquen Darners (Gomphaeschna furcillata) — 4 — See: Male Harlequin Darner | Harlequin Darner Patuxent Research R… | Flickr  

Stream Cruisers (Macromia transversa) — 3 — See: Stream Cruiser at Duvall Bridge | Male Stream Cruiser (Macro… | Flickr  &  Male Stream Cruiser | Stream Cruiser Patuxent Research Refug… | Richard Orr | Flickr 

Common Baskettails (Epitheca cynosura) -- 17

Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa) -- 1

Double-ringed Pennants (Celithemis verna) — 1 — See: Double-Ringed Pennant at Hobbs Pond | Young male Double-ring… | Flickr 

Eastern Pondhawks (Erythemis simplicicollis) -- 14

Blue Corporals (Ladona deplanata) -- 600+

Painted Skimmers (Libellula semifasciata) -- 21+

Common Whitetails (Plathemis lydia) -- 24+

Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) — 1 

BUTTERFFLIES SEEN:

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails -- 11

Zebra Swallowtails -- 14

Spicebush Swallowtails -- 4

Cabbage Whites -- 3

Clouded Sulphurs -- 4

Eastern Tailed Blues -- 9

Red-banded Hairstreaks — 18+ — See: Red-Banded Hairstreak on Gravel Road | Red-banded Hairstreak… | Flickr 

Pearl Crescents -- 14

Anglewings (not identified) -- 8

American Lady -- 2

Red-spotted Purples -- 6

Red Admiral -- 1

Mourning Cloak (caterpillar only) — 1 — See: Mourning Cloak Caterpillar | Mourning Cloak Caterpillar. Pat… | Flickr 

Silver-spotted Skipper -- 1

Juvenal's/Horace's Duskywings -- 15

Wild Indigo Duskywing -- 1

Dusted Skippers — 6 — See: Male Dusted Skipper | Dusted Skipper Patuxent Research Refug… | Richard Orr | Flickr 

Richard Orr

[Rick Borchelt]

No azures at all?

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

http://leplog.wordpress.com

[odona...@comcast.net]

Not that I reported, but again I was only semi-focused on Butterflies.  I do have records from the Refuge this year of Azures:  one on March 31st, one on April 1st, one on April 10th, six on April 12^th (Little Patuxent River shoreline) and two on April 27th. But so far none this month. Is it possible that I had either Spring or Early Summer Azures early on and the other species was a bust?

Richard

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From: mdlep...@googlegroups.com <mdlep...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Rick Borchelt <rbor...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2026 7:24 AM
To: mdlep...@googlegroups.com <mdlep...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [MDLepsOdes] Patuxent Research Refuge May 1, 3, 5, 8 & 10, 2026

 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdlepsodes/CAN0Du2tBxWy_jornu%2BCpZ0pBEpMcKcRas9sMZDLhtv-Dg1yEQQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Rick Borchelt]

I doubt that Spring Azure is resident on the North Tract anymore; there is very little dogwood host remaining. Most likely you have been seeing somewhat overlapping broods of Summer ( which has been the case this year). 

On May 11, 2026, at 11:08 am, 'odona...@comcast.net' via MDLepsOdes <mdlep...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



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