AKA
CALIFORNIA LESTIDAE
with COMMON NAMES OF DAMSELFLIES
as adopted by the Dragonfly Society of the Americas
(Argia, vol.8, no.2, 1 August 1996)
New links &/or information was
added to this site on
DECEMBER 31, 2001 (flight data up-dated)
The CA distribution maps were last updated on NOVEMBER 27, 2001. Click here to access distribution in nearby states
Common DRAGONFLIES of California
A Beginner's Pocket Guide
by Kathy Biggs
To learn more about these fascinating insect's
life cycle go to
"Damsels and Dragons - the Insect Order Odonata". This article by Ron Lyons,
which first appeared in the Internet Pond Society's "The Internet Ponder's Online
Magazine", was written in 1997 for the "Critter's in Your Pond" column I was
writing at the time.
Distribution Maps are maintained by Tim Manolis. They
are based on information originally collected by Dennis Paulson (see address
below) and they are now being updated by new sightings and specimens found in
museum collections. If you find a species in a new county please contact
Kathy and/or
Tim.
Information for this site has been collected and edited by Kathy Biggs who assumes full
responsibility.
By using the links in the first column you can directly view pictures
from this site. These may download more quickly than those linked to in the
`*Photo/scan at website' column since those are hosted at other sites. Some
photos I have taken myself and they are not of the same quality as those in the
website photo link column. However those contributed by Bob Behrstock,
Chris Heaivilin,
Bob Claypole, Rod Miller, Pete Haggard , Steve Potter and others are of excellent
quality. Further images are provided because they help give a feeling for the
posture/behavior of the species. To find out more about where and when any of
these were pictures were taken, contact the photographer directly. Tim Manolis, who has taken snaps from
videos of moving dragonflies, would like to hear from anyone who is also
interested in dragonflies in the Central Valley (Sacramento and Butte counties
in particular, and also Plumas and Lassen counties). Tim and Andy Rehn are
currently working on a paper on the distribution of Odonata in
California. I hope you find this website helpful. I'm always open to suggestions and
would love your contributions! Please let me know if you have any problems
with this site or its contents.
Kathy Biggs
The species indicated below have been found in
California.
References to pictures are as follows:
Audubon Guide = Audubon Society Field Guide to North American
Insects and Spiders
CA Insects = California Insects by Jerry Powell and Charles Hogue
CA Dragonflies =
Common Dragonflies of California, A Beginner's Pocket Guide by Kathy Biggs
LA Insects = Insects of the Los Angeles Basin by Charles Hogue
Western Forest =The Audubon Society Nature Guides - Western Forest
Kansas Checklist
= Checklist of Kansas Damselflies - The Kansas School Naturalist 1998
Dragonflies of Washington = Dragonflies of Washington by Dennis Paulson,
Seattle Audubon Society 1999
* = photo/scan(s)/key available to see at this Internet
website
|
Common DRAGONFLIES of California A Beginner's Pocket Guide by Kathy Biggs Includes damselflies | Click here to return to
The CA Damselflies family site
Send e-mail to Kathy Biggs if you
would like to request a
|
For help in identifying CA Odonata, go to "FIELD KEY TO ADULT CALIFORNIA DRAGONFLIES (ODONATA) " .
This is a BETA version key and it includes damselflies. It needs field testing. (There is also an OLD key using wing venation and sexual appendages in "Aquatic Insects of California" by Unsinger, but this has been out of print for several years. The California Library system should have copies of Unsinger's book available for in-library reference work).
Damsels and Dragons - the Insect Order Odonata.
To encourage dragonflies and damselflies, build a pond "and they will come!"
Read Kathy's article The Pleasures of Wildlife Ponding by clicking here.
or
or
here to go to the Biggs's Pond Wildlife Sightings List with links to photos of some of our visitors
or
Click here to see pictures of the Biggs's pond and its development.
If you have any corrections or additions to this site please send e-mail to Kathy Biggs