The Flickr Laurasclubtail Image Generatr

One of the rarest dragonflies I see - this male was my first of the year Laura's clubtail (Stylurus laurae) near Little River. He landed minimum shooting distance from me but I had things in both hands & my camera over my left shoulder - & light was terrible! I was so afraid he would fly as I got my camera in hand - but instead he perched for > 15 minutes & let me put my lens right in his face. These big clubtails are known to like clean waters. Endangered or declining in some regions. Some years I get them in my flowers out of the small creek behind us - that has produced a number of rare species. Thankful!

I would later see one female and that was it. There are no other Laura's posted on Odonata Central for Georgia this year. RARE

Here's the album with all 12 Days: www.flickr.com/photos/vickisnature/albums/72177720321969075/

The Story if you have time: We were supposed to be at the movies but instead made a late decision to do our usual hike along Little River. I was looking ahead to our River cruiser perch when my husband suddenly pointed and said "what's that?" I froze in my tracks & said "THAT is a Laura's!" Laura's clubtails are rarer than Russet-tipped clubtails (already flying) but I was optimistic for both this year because they fly more reliably in drought Summers ... and we've had a doozy. This male Laura's had landed at minimum shooting distance from me just feet from my left elbow. But - I had things in both hands including my walking stick ... and my camera was hanging over my left shoulder. I was so afraid he would fly while I unloaded & got the S5 in position. Instead, he perched for > 15 minutes for shots! Overcast so low light but he let me get my lens right up to his head - so no complaints! I most often see this species in September so hopefully more soon. Shot near Little River @ the wetlands, North Georgia

Have a great Labor Day!

Laura's Clubtail (Stylurus laurae) & Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus) cast skins.

Patuxent Research Refuge, Little Patuxent River, Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Laura's Clubtail (Stylurus laurae) emerging from the Little Patuxent River.

Patuxent Research Refuge, Maryland.

Laura's Clubtails (Stylurus laurae), Russet-tipped Clubtails (Stylurus larurae), Dragonhunters (Hagenius brevistylus), Common Sanddragons (Progomphus obscurus) and Black-shouldered Spinylegs (Dromogomphus spinosus) were in the process of emerging from the Little Patuxent River yesterday.

Often the remaining cast skins are crusted with sand or mud which makes identification difficult in the field. I therefore always collect all the skins found for identification in the lab -- this also keeps me from accidently counting the same cast skin on consecutive visits to the same site. Two of the most difficult skins to separate are the two species of Stylurus that were emerging from the river at the same time. Their separation is subtle and most of my lab time was spent cleaning, measuring and ultimately identifying between these two species. The other species encountered yesterday were far easier to identify.

Little Patuxent River, Patuxent Research Refuge, Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

I have not seen any adult dragonflies at Patuxent Research Refuge, in Maryland yet this year. But there are plenty of dragonfly larvae around to keep me busy. One of my best finds so far this year has been this Laura's Clubtail (Stylurus laurae). It was burrowing in the sand/small pebble sediment at the edge of the river -- to the left of the habitat shot above. The bright greenish-yellow color of this larvae is not photo enhanced -- this is her real color.

Laura's Clubtail has a rank of S2 (Imperiled/State Rare) in Maryland. The Little Patuxent River at the Refuge 30 years ago, use to have hundreds of these dragonflies emerging each spring. Unfortunately, to find a single individual either as an adult or a larva is now a rarity.

Little Patuxent River, Upstream from Patuxent Research Refuge, Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

For those who would like to pray or who need prayer:

Youtube: Pat Boone & Eric Metaxas discussing prayer & fasting - Pat Boone still sounds great!:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=letypVkSymk

Twitter: #nationaldayofprayerِ

Today's theme: Habakkuk 2:14 "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea."

Many are praying at Noon while a lot of events take place this evening:
www.nationaldayofprayer.org/

CBN has an open prayer line 24/7:
www1.cbn.com/prayer

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
12th Day of Christmas Dragonflies: a female Stylurus laurae in the zinnias in our yard - not where you expect to see one of these rare clubtails! So I have to wrap up with this biggest surprise of the year - with thanks to the Lord that I was able to photograph this one. Rare everywhere, I hope to see some along Little River again next season. See tags for details.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Butterflies begin tomorrow !!!!

Here's another view of the Laura's clubtail that showed up in my flowers on 8-16-19. Isn't that a great face? These Stylurus are very rare ... we haven't yet seen one at the wetlands this season and only saw one there last year. Have never seen one around our yard. Our other Stylurus, Russet-tipped clubtails, have been scarce this year so far. But both fly well into September.

>> Stylurus laurae female on a red zinnia in our North Georgia yard - this month

Happy Dragonfly Thursday!

Rare - first one I've seen since September 2016! My husband spotted him right by our trail as I was scanning ahead - I got 2 shots and he was GONE. This large clubtail overlaps Stylurus plagiatus at this location but we saw few other dragons yesterday: no whitetails, no Slaty's, no Blue dashers, no wandering gliders, no other clubtails. Lots of butterflies. Hot sunny day in the 90's but for odes - the season is plummeting.

>> Laura's clubtail on wildflowers, male at the wetlands, North Georgia, 9-18-18

MISSISSIPPI: Stone County

MISSISSIPPI: Stone County

MISSISSIPPI: Stone County

FLORIDA: Gadsden County, Whittle Road and Whittle Lane

Well I had 2 big MOM's ("magical ode moments" per Randy) this season and both were late: this male Laura's clubtail in September, and the Big bluets in Oct-Nov. I waded through thigh-high snakey weeds to get to this clubtail and then couldn't spot him! I was surrounded by a sea of green and he just blended in. When I finally spotted him - he was just sitting there looking at me - like he'd never seen a human before. And he probably hadn't. The gears were whirling in my brain as I went through all the big clubtails that could be flying that late. I didn't know what he was but I came home and flipped right to Laura's - and he was a match. The Big bluets were a bigger deal because, as it turns out, they may be state records. And my mentor Giff (Giff Beaton) came out to see them. I can't wait till next Fall when I'll be looking for both species to return!

Happy Hug-a-bug Tuesday!

Here's the other lifer I found on Tuesday at the wetlands. The seasons on both the Mocha emerald & Laura's are about to end - I'm still amazed to have found them. Especially the Laura's which is a 2nd county record and the first male for the county. They're very rare & have only been found in 8 counties in GA and are a more northern species. He was big - about 3 inches long. I spotted him flashing that bright yellow tail as he hunted low along high weeds. I'll have to ask Dennis who Laura is!

p.s. named "after Laura Ditzler, member of group that collected holotype" per Dennis Paulson's ode checklist

Check out the other photo in comments. A very Happy Dragonfly Thursday!

Here's the other lifer I found on Tuesday at the wetlands. The seasons on both the Mocha emerald & Laura's are about to end so I'm still amazed to have found them. Especially the Laura's which is a 2nd county record and the first male for the county. They're very rare & have only been found in 8 counties in GA and are a more northern species. I'll have to ask Dennis who Laura is!

a very Happy Dragonfly Thursday!

Admin Pick - Canvas of the Week, A Nature Canvas - The Gallery, 9-29-14

marvins-gardens.blogspot.com