2024 July 10 morning

   During a 90-minute meander at 10:30 am on July 9 at Swan Lake, on a very hot morning, Marie O’Shaughnessy saw only the following butterflies:
1 Cabbage White
3 Lorquin’s Admirals

Dragonflies were numerous:
2 Black Saddlebags mating
1 male blue  Western Pondhawk
2 Cardinal Meadowhawks
1 California Darner
3 Blue-eyed Darners
37 Blue Dashers
2 Common Green Darners
1  Eight-Spotted Skimmer
Many damselflies in tandem too. 

Here are some photographs that Marie obtained:

Western Pondhawk  Erythemis collocata  (Odo.: Libellulidae)   Marie O’Shaughnessy

Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy 

   Marie photographed a dragonfly drama showing a female Blue-eyed Darner trying her best to lay some eggs while being harassed by two boorish male dragonflies.  Comments below the photographs by Dr Rob Cannings.

Dr Cannings: “Female Rhionaeschna multicolor ovipositing”      Photo Marie O’Shaughnessy

Dr Cannings: “Male R. multicolor attempting to mate with her.”   Photo Marie O’Shaughnessy

Dr Cannings: “Male Anax junius comes along and either tries to mate with the female
Rhionaeschna (mistakes can happen!), or is trying to eat her for lunch. Can’t be sure.”
Photo Marie O’Shaughnessy