Anahuac

Suspected Species in Chambers County, Texas Facts about Dragonflies and Damselflies Damselflies Dragonflies, Continued SPREADWINGS ‰ Southern Spreadwing* ‰ Elegant Spreadwing ‰ Swamp Spreadwing CRUISERS ‰ Royal River Cruiser* The symbol of a healthy wetland, dragonflies and damselflies have been on this planet for about 300 million years. Their ancestors flew during an age where the earth was covered in giant plants and swamps - the Carboniferous Period. Back then, they were as big as today’s birds and had wingspans of almost three feet. POND DAMSELS ‰ Blue-ringed Dancer ‰ Blue-fronted Dancer* ‰ Powdered Dancer ‰ Blue-tipped Dancer* ‰ Seepage Dancer ‰ Aztec Dancer ‰ Variable Dancer ‰ Kiowa Dancer* ‰ Burgundy Bluet ‰ Orange Bluet* ‰ Vesper Bluet ‰ Double-striped Bluet ‰ Familiar Bluet ‰ Big Bluet* ‰ Stream Bluet ‰ Skimming Bluet ‰ Slender Bluet ‰ Rambur’s Forktail* ‰ Citrine Forktail* ‰ Lilypad Forktail ‰ Fragile Forktail* EMERALDS ‰ Smoky Shadowdragon ‰ Common Baskettail ‰ Slender Baskettail ‰ Prince Baskettail* SKIMMERS ‰ Common Whitetail ‰ Blue Corporal ‰ Painted Skimmer ‰ Twelve-spotted Skimmer* ‰ Widow Skimmer ‰ Bar-winged Skimmer ‰ Great Blue Skimmer* ‰ Slaty Skimmer* ‰ Golden-winged Skimmer ‰ Needham’s Skimmer* ‰ Roseate Skimmer* ‰ Eastern Amberwing* ‰ Four-spotted Pennant* ‰ Ornate Pennant ‰ Calico Pennant ‰ Banded Pennant ‰ Halloween Pennant* ‰ Red-tailed Pennant* ‰ Great Pondhawk* Dragonflies ‰ Eastern Pondhawk* PETALTAILS ‰ Little Blue Dragonlet ‰ Gray Petaltail* ‰ Seaside Dragonlet* ‰ Band-winged Dragonlet* DARNERS ‰ Common Green Darner* ‰ Variegated Meadowhawk* ‰ Blue-faced Meadowhawk ‰ Comet Darner ‰ Blue Dasher* ‰ Swamp Darner* ‰ Thornbush Dasher ‰ Regal Darner ‰ Swift Setwing ‰ Cyrano Darner ‰ Hyacinth Glider* CLUBTAILS ‰ Red Saddlebags* ‰ Sulphur-tipped Clubtail ‰ Carolina Saddlebags ‰ Oklahoma Clubtail ‰ Black Saddlebags* ‰ Wandering Glider ‰ Ashy Clubtail ‰ Spot-winged Glider ‰ Bayou Clubtail ‰ Marl Pennant* ‰ Jade Clubtail ‰ Gulf Coast Clubtail * Documented on the refuge ‰ Russet-tipped Clubtail ‰ Two-striped Forceptail ‰ Broad-striped Forceptail* ‰ Common Sanddragon ‰ Black-shouldered Spinyleg ‰ Flag-tailed Spinyleg ‰ Dragonhunter ‰ Eastern Ringtail Today they are much smaller but just as incredible. Both the adult and the larvae hunt and eat insects, including an average of 100 mosquitoes per day. They need to be fast and agile. Adult dragonflies are the fastest-flying insect in the world - recorded flying at 35 miles per hour. What is the difference between a dragonfly and a damselfly? One difference is that dragonflies generally hold their wings spread open - either flat or folded down, whereas damselflies generally hold their wings pinched closed. Both are largely undocumented at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. Use this checklist as a start, but don’t be surprised if you find something new. If you get a good picture, try uploading it to a citizen science site. It helps us understand what species we have! For More Information Contact Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge P.O. Box 278, 4017 FM 563 Anahuac, TX 77514 409/267-3337 409/267-4314 Fax www.fws.gov/refuge/Anahuac Images © Tripp Davenport, © Sara Ruth Harrison, © Kathy Berrier, © Joe Blackburn, Alan Schmierer, Sheila Brown, and USFWS. June 2020 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge Common Dragonflies & Damselflies Black Saddlebags Four--spotted Pennant Four Female Blue Dasher Male Roseate Skimmer Female Halloween Pennant Male Female Green Darner Male Female Eastern Amberwing Male Female Female Male Female Female Male Citrine Forktail Female Fragile Forktail Female Male Variegated Meadowhawk Red Saddlebags Eastern Pondhawk Male Male Female Seaside Dragonlet Needham’ss Skimmer Needham’ Male Male Male Rambur’s Forktail Male Male Female