Summary of the 2024 Maryland Dragonfly results

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Dear Maryland and Washington D.C. dragonfly enthusiasts:

 

I would like to thank each of you who contributed in some way to the data used in putting the attached information together. If you see where this information would be of value to someone not on this email list, please feel free to forward the information to them.

 

Dragonfly and damselfly records are often recorded at other locations such as iNaturalist, Maryland Biodiversity Project or Odonata Central. Although, I scan for these new records when time allows, if you see a dragonfly or damselfly species published, that is not included in my attached records, no matter the source, please let me know.

 

I also want to apologize (explain) to those who submitted records that were not incorporated into this year’s data. Most of these were sight records of unexpected or difficult to identify species. Although I will continue to ensure the integrity of the Maryland and Washington D.C. list, please continue to send in unusual sightings even though no photograph or specimen was collected. If it is truly of interest the exact location can be revisited and hopefully the sighting can be confirmed by a specimen or reveling photograph during the following year. Also, please keep in mind that even with an excellent photograph some individuals cannot be identified with 100% certainty. I want to encourage photographs but please understand that they do not equal the collection of the insect in question.

 

Attached should be five files that update the Maryland and District’s dragonfly and damselfly records at the end of 2024. The file “Dragonfly Records 2025” and “Damselfly Records 2025” contain the current information and county records, in written form, for Maryland and the District of Columbia. The file “MD-LIST 2025 Public” provides the current county records in a table form that allows for a quick view of where records are present or absent within the state of Maryland and Washington D.C. The file “New Odonate Records for 2024” lists the new Maryland County and District records added during the 2024 field season and finally, the file “MAILOUT24” is an electronic copy of this cover letter.

 

Two odonate publications in 2024 should be of interest to those of us who enjoy Maryland’s dragonflies and damselflies.  The first is the long awaited “Dragonflies of North America” by Ed Lam.  This impressive Princeton Field Guide has the best identification drawings that has yet been published.  The second is the publication of the “Bulletin of American Odonatology” on the “Status of Odonata on the Delmarva Peninsula” by Hal White, et. al.  If you spend any time on Maryland’s Eastern Shore this is a must own publication.

 

In 2024 four (4) new Maryland county records were added.  They were 1) Common Sanddragon (Progomphus obscurus) in Garrett County by Kyle Klotz, 2) American Rubyspot (Hataerina americana) in Garrett County also by Kyle Klotz, 3) White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum) in Kent County by Aron Reb and 4) a Banded Pennant (Celithemis fasciata) in Queen Annes County by John Gillespie.

 

Also of interest were two findings of the Furtive Forktail (Ischneura prognata) in 2024, one at Mckee Beshers WMA (Montgomery County) by Scot Magnotta and the other at Patuxent Research Refuge by Richard Orr (Anne Arundel County).  Although neither were new county records their finds do suggest that this species is possibly established in Maryland and not just strays from locations south of us.

 

The distribution of odonates within Maryland and the District are still imperfectly known; in addition, dragonfly populations are dynamic. I will continue, hopefully with your input, to keep the odonate records for Maryland and the Washington D.C. areas.  Eventually, this information will be formalized and published, so I would ask that you obtain permission if you wish to use this information for your own publications or reports.

 

There is no doubt that Maryland and the District have plenty of odonate surprises left, so please keep up the good work. Be sure to check out all the vacant boxes in the “MD-LIST 2024 Public” attached file. There are still plenty of opportunities for an enterprising naturalist to pick up new county records especially in counties that have historically had little coverage.

 

Many thanks for everyone’s data in 2024 and best of luck in your field work during the 2025 season.

 

Cheers,

 

Richard L. Orr

Mid-Atlantic Invertebrate Field Studies

5215 Durham Rd-East

Columbia, MD 21044

Odona...@comcast.net

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