Dragonflies
of Yuma County
Summer
of 2003
- narrated
by Henry Detwiler
Here are some suggested areas to look for dragonflies in Yuma County,
and a record of the species we've seen so far. Click on the blue
links for maps & area descriptions.
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
Even though Yuma is in the heart of the Colorado
Desert, there is a lot of water around. The Gila and Colorado
River flow through it, although the Gila is dry in most areas, there
are some spots with slowly moving or standing water. The
Colorado River has numerous backwaters and associated lakes.
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Blue Dasher, June 03
Other spots in the county to look for odes are farm ponds and shrimp
ponds.
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Mexican Amberwing,
Phoenix
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In early summer we found the following dragonflies
along the Colorado River west of town:
- Blue Dasher
- Western Pondhawk
- Mexican Amberwing
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Along the west side of Hwy 95, at a state quarry
across from Tanner Construction Company, we found:
- Red-tailed Pennant (colony)
- Common Green darner
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Red-tailed Pennant, 1 Sep
03
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Powdered Dancer, 24 Aug 03
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On a September visit to the Gila River at the Hwy 95 bridge we saw:
- Western Pondhawk
- Common Green Darner
- Black Saddlebags
- Powdered Dancer
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There is a grove along the Gila River off of Ave 7E.
Along the river itself and along the levee road we have seen: |
- Rambur's Forktail
- Blue-winged Dancer
- Familiar Bluet
- Black Saddlebags
- Common Green Darner
- Blue Dasher
- Blue-eyed Darner
- Wandering Glider
- Roseate Skimmer
- Spot-winged Glider
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Wandering Glider, 1 Sep 03 |
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Rambur's Forktail, 1 Sep 03
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Marl Pennants (male &
female), Desert
Forktail and Common Green Darner Exuviae, 13 Sep 03
Common Green Darners
24 Aug 2003
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Six miles north of Dateland are a series of shrimp
farms that have a wonderful array of odes & birds.
- Marl Pennant
- Common Green Darner
- Desert Forktail
- Powdered Dancer
- Familiar Bluet
Desert Forktail, 24 Aug 2003
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We live at the western edge of Yuma on 1 acre
about three miles est of the Colorado River. Over the course
of the late summer we've spotted the following species:
- Familiar Bluet
- Powdered Dancer
- Red Saddlebags
- Common Green Darner
- Blue-eyed Darner
- Variegated Meadowhawk (once)
- Roseate Skimmer
- Widowhawk (once)
- Western Pondhawk
- White-belted Ringtail (once)
- Russet-tipped Clubtail (once)
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White-belted Ringtail, 16 Aug 03
Russet-tipped Clubtail, 30 Aug 03
Widow Skimmer, Aug 03
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Black Saddlebags, 13 Sep 03
Blue-eyed Darner, 19 Sep 03
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Both Mittry Lake
& West Pond have very accessible cattail
marshes and lots of productive ode-hunting areas.
Over the past months we've seen:
- Red-tailed Pennant
- Black Saddlebags
- Common Green Darner
- Blue-eyed Darner
- Blue Dasher
- Western Pondhawk
- Mexican Amberwing
- Roseate Skimmer
- Powdered Dancer
- Western Pondhawk
- Mexican Amberwing
- Flame Skimmer
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