Program planned for July 22 at the GSC
(Town of Lenox, NY – July 2014) Dragonfly and damselfly insects belong to the order, Odonata, which means “toothed one” and refers to the dragonfly’s serrated teeth. They were among the first winged insects to evolve some 300 million years ago. While modern day dragonflies have wing spans of two to five inches fossil dragonflies have been found with wingspans as wide as two feet.
There are over 5000 species around the world. Many species migrate and scientists have tracked dragonflies by attaching miniscule transmitters to them with eyelash glue and super glue. One green darner in New Jersey traveled 100 miles in a single day. A dragonfly called the globe skinner has the longest migration of any insect, 11,000 miles back and forth across the Indian Ocean.
In their larval stage they are aquatic and eat about anything, tadpoles, mosquitos, fish, other insect larve, even each other. As adults they eat up to 100 mosquitos a day. As adults they catch their prey with their feet, like hawks and owls.
Central New York has a variety of beautiful dragon and damselflies; many can be seen around the numerous ponds and wetland areas at the Great Swamp Conservancy.
Director of Sterling Nature Center, naturalist Jim D”Angelo will present an identification power point program followed by a trail walk to identify local varieties. Please bring your cameras; bug repellant and boots are recommended for the walk. Free and the public is welcome, join us Tuesday July 22 at 1 p.m. at the Great Swamp Conservancy, 8375 N. Main St., Canastota.