Curiosities

Adult dragonflies are beautiful, graceful aerial insects that can typically be found around bodies of water, such as lakes, ponds, streams and marshes.

Dragonfly species have a wide range of sizes and colours, with some being quite large and beautifully colored while others are smaller and rather drab. All species, however, have the same general body plan: a large head with two huge compound eyes, a relatively long and narrow abdomen, and two pairs of membranous wings that are roughly equal in size. These beautiful insects have been studied by biologists and naturalists for many years and as a result a great deal is known about their behaviours and life cycle.

Amateur and professional entomologists from around Atlantic Canada and Eastern US flock to our peaceful community to observe a very unique phenomenon huge numbers of dragonflies and damselflies converging in gravel pits, golf courses and shallow streams. Several entomologists reported that on a three day visit to our area in southern Charlotte County, the visit produced a list of almost 60 species of damsels and dragons!

 Some of the highlights included:

  • The very rare appearance of ORANGE BLUET Enallagma signatum;
  • Delicate FRAGILE FORKTAIL Ischnura posita;
  • Yellow and blue crepuscular VESPER BLUET Enallagma vesperum;
  • Beautiful and powerful DRAGONHUNTER Hagenius brevistylus;
  • Several of the large and high-flying PRINCE BASKETTAIL Epitheca princeps;
  • Selections of skimmers including large numbers of SLATY SKIMMER Libellula incesta; >
  • Numerous FAWN DARNERS Boyeria vinosa were present in the late evenings;