Wildlife Wednesday: Dragonflies

To the human eye, a dragonfly might lack the same presence as the mythical creatures they are named for—but in the world of insects, dragonflies and their damselfly cousins (all of which form the order Odonata) are some of the most fearsome predators imaginable! Enter the dragon's lair, a.k.a. Dragonfly Pond, on August 20th from 4-5 PM and find out how it gets its name by exploring the shoreline for evidence of its not-so-mythical dragons, including adults, larval nymphs, and shed casings (exuviae). Dragonflies serve as important bioindicators that can clue us in to pollution of aquatic ecosystems, and dragonfly-seekers of all ages and experience levels have contributed to a wealth of data that helps keep our waters clean. You'll have the chance to take a closer look at the dragonfly life cycle as we practice collecting and identifying nymphs to family, but come prepared to get your hands dirty since we must sift through pond muck to find them!
This event takes place during the Odolympics, a yearly challenge to record as many dragonfly and damselfly species as possible hosted by the Dragonfly Society of the Americas. Anyone can participate—you will receive information on this event alongside many other Odonata resources and volunteer surveys!