Spatterdock Darner - Foulds Tract Brant County

[cmch...@gmail.com]

In 2020, I found a population of Spatterdock Darner at this location. I went back last year and found none, however, I may have been a touch early, and it was an all-around lousy year locally for all insects in 2023.

Went back today, and the population is still there and doing apparently very well. At one point I had 6 individuals either perched or patrolling within 5 meters of where I was standing.

The tract is at the corner of McPherson School Road and McLean School Road south of Glen Morris. There is parking on McPherson south of the intersection. Alternatively you can park on McLean at the trail head and walk in. They are concentrated in an open area about 200m up the trail from the road adjacent to the farm field. It's easy to spot, there are limited open sunny areas along that section. None of these were netted and hand perched, they just came in and landed next to me as I stood still.

[Bill Lamond]

Hi,

It is interesting how this species has either expanded in Ontario or it is just being detected in newly explored areas. Twenty years ago it was only known from a few locations in Ontario. Now there are dozens. 

I saw an individual in a new location in Brant County on June 8th. This was at 5^th Conc Burford near Wight Rd. One individual was cruising along the woodlot edge for a couple of minutes. It was uncatchable, but the bright blue face and abdomen eliminates all other darners at this date. 

I know of no suitable breeding habitat nearby but there must be some.

Bill

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From: ont-...@googlegroups.com <ont-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of cmch...@gmail.com <cmch...@gmail.com>
Sent: June 8, 2024 6:31 PM
To: Ont-Odes <Ont-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Ont-Odes] Spatterdock Darner - Foulds Tract Brant County

 

In 2020, I found a population of Spatterdock Darner at this location. I went back last year and found none, however, I may have been a touch early, and it was an all-around lousy year locally for all insects in 2023.

Went back today, and the population is still there and doing apparently very well. At one point I had 6 individuals either perched or patrolling within 5 meters of where I was standing.

The tract is at the corner of McPherson School Road and McLean School Road south of Glen Morris. There is parking on McPherson south of the intersection. Alternatively you can park on McLean at the trail head and walk in. They are concentrated in an open area about 200m up the trail from the road adjacent to the farm field. It's easy to spot, there are limited open sunny areas along that section. None of these were netted and hand perched, they just came in and landed next to me as I stood still.

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[Paul Smith]

Hi Bill.

 

You raise 2 interesting points.  One is the question of whether Spatterdock Darners are spreading in the province or just being seen more.  The other is whether the presence of an ode species in a particular location implies there's close-by breeding habitat.  

 

Both damsels and dragonflies can travel long distances and can show up in strange places.  Citrine Bluets are notorious for that and 20 years ago Carl Rothfels & I found a Midland Clubtail in the middle of the industrial north end of Hamilton, who knows how far from suitable habitat.

 

It may be impossible to know the answer to your first question since the number of odonate enthusiasts have grown dramatically in recent years.  More eyes in the field or wide ranging odes settling into new territory?  Given your lengthy experience in both the Branford and the Renfrew areas, you may be in a better position to answer that question than most.

 

Paul

 

------ Original Message ------
From: bill-...@hotmail.com
To: ont-...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sunday, June 16th 2024, 11:27
Subject: Re: [Ont-Odes] Spatterdock Darner - Foulds Tract Brant County
 

Hi,

 

It is interesting how this species has either expanded in Ontario or it is just being detected in newly explored areas. Twenty years ago it was only known from a few locations in Ontario. Now there are dozens. 

 

I saw an individual in a new location in Brant County on June 8th. This was at 5^th Conc Burford near Wight Rd. One individual was cruising along the woodlot edge for a couple of minutes. It was uncatchable, but the bright blue face and abdomen eliminates all other darners at this date. 

 

I know of no suitable breeding habitat nearby but there must be some.

 

Bill

 

---

From: ont-...@googlegroups.com <ont-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of cmch...@gmail.com <cmch...@gmail.com>
Sent: June 8, 2024 6:31 PM
To: Ont-Odes <Ont-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Ont-Odes] Spatterdock Darner - Foulds Tract Brant County

 

In 2020, I found a population of Spatterdock Darner at this location. I went back last year and found none, however, I may have been a touch early, and it was an all-around lousy year locally for all insects in 2023.

 

Went back today, and the population is still there and doing apparently very well. At one point I had 6 individuals either perched or patrolling within 5 meters of where I was standing.

 

The tract is at the corner of McPherson School Road and McLean School Road south of Glen Morris. There is parking on McPherson south of the intersection. Alternatively you can park on McLean at the trail head and walk in. They are concentrated in an open area about 200m up the trail from the road adjacent to the farm field. It's easy to spot, there are limited open sunny areas along that section. None of these were netted and hand perched, they just came in and landed next to me as I stood still.

 

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[Chris Cheatle]

If one individual is seen, it is hard to eliminate it being a wanderer.

When multiple individuals are seen, in particular over multiple years, it's hard to assume vagrants are somehow ending up in the same place year after year.

It also suggests we dont maybe know as much about their breeding habits as we thought as several of these seemingly established locations certainly have year round water but no evident water Lilly family populations. 

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