2024 August 26 evening

   Mike and Barbara McGrenere found and photographed a rather worn Painted Lady along the west side of the Island View Nursery on August 25.  This is close to where Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed one on the same day (see yesterday’s posting), but it is obviously a different individual.  It is good to know that there are still a few around.

Painted Lady  Vanessa cardui  (Lep.: Nymphalidae) Mike McGrenere

We haven’t yet seen any American Ladies here this year, but a few days ago, three American Ladies turned up at Swansea in South Wales.

Marie O’Shaughnessy photographed several dragon/damselflies at McIntyre reservoir on August 24.  She writes:
Dragonflies seen were …
1 Black Saddlebags
11 Blue Dashers
3 Blue-eyed Darners
1 Cardinal Meadowhawk
4 Western Pondhawks, 3 blue male and 1 green female
1 Paddle-tailed Darner
3 Tule Bluet damselfly

According to Dr Rob Cannings, libellulids ofter rest in a horizontal position;  pondhawks rest on the ground;  aeshnids rest in a vertically hanging position.  The first two of Marie’s photographs below show a libellulid and a pondhawk doing just what they are supposed to do.  Indeed, most of the photographs of the Cardinal Meadowhawk and the Western Pondhawk that have appeared on this site over the years have shown them behaving properly. Could someone please photograph an aeshnid hanging vertically, to complete the picture?

Cardinal Meadowhawk  Sympetrum illotum  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy

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

Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis  (Odo.: Libellulidae)   Marie O’Shaughnessy

Below, a pair of Blue-eyed Darners Rhionaeschna multicolor (Odo.: Aeshnidae) in cop.
Above, a pair of Blue Dashers Pachydiplax longipennis (Odo.: Libellulidae) in cop.
Marie O’Shaughnessy

Tule Bluet  Enallagna carunculatum  (Odo.: Coenagrionidae)  Marie O’Shaughnessy