BRN 9-2 (uncompressed) - Flipbook - Page 17
L
Blue Dasher
The 2024 Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax
longipennis (Burmeister, 1839),
population was second only to
Variegated Meadowhawks in terms of
commonness of individual dragonßies
using Do–a Ana County habitats
during the spring through autumn
seasons. The large population size
continues the trend noted in prior
years, e.g., 2019- 2023.
L. Female selects a high perch on a
twig to hunt for small ßying
insects; she is characterized by the
green eye color of older individuals, face is white with metallic
blue at top, thorax is striped
brown and yellow, abdomen is
yellow with brown stripes below,
and a basal, brown wing spot is
present. 08/02/24
M. Next Page: At Þrst glance, the eye
color (dark red over gray) suggests
a female, however immature
males also have this eye color
combination and a male's long
cerci are evident at the abdomen
tip; the nearly solidly blue thorax
represents the western form
Paulson (2009); additionally, the
face is white/metallic blue on top,
thorax and abdomen are pruinose
blue, and dark brown basal wing
spots are present. Because this
individual is perched in the shade,
the pruinose blue color of the
abdomen appears shiny, even
waxy/slick. 08/11/24
Plateau Dragonlet
Fewer than ten Plateau Dragonlets,
Erythrodiplax fusca (Calvert, 1895)
were observed during 2024 in two
habitats used by low population
numbers in past years, an irrigation
canal from the Rio Grande (adult
forms) and the La Mancha Wetland
Restoration site along the Rio Grande
levee (immature and adult forms).
Preferred habitats are principally
16
emergent plants and stems of short
stature for perching and hunting in
addition to dense bank vegetation.
N. Next Page: Perched/hunting
immature form with light brown
eyes, tan dorsal thorax, pale basal
wing spot on wings which are
projected forward, and yellow
abdomen with black rectangles on
lower sides of segments, and
brown stripes on the dorsal
abdominal surface. 08/14/24
O. Next Page: Adult male perches
while hunting from Southern
Cattail leaves and patrolling for a
mate/defending his selected
territory; his eyes are dark
brownish-red, face is metallic blue,
thorax a dark reddish-brown, and
the abdomen transitions from dark
brown at base to bluish-pruinose
(S-3 to S-6), and black at tip (S-7 to
S-10). 06/01/24
