And In the Category of Learning Something New Every Day . . .

AHA!

But first, the background.

On June 5, I photographed a female UBD (Unidentified Brown Damselfly). I searched my guidebooks, couldn't find anything like it to match county records, and posted photos on Facebook asking for advice. Expert Ed Lam wrote, "I think that ovipositor is big enough for a Sweetflag." W-h-a-t? What's a Sweetflag? Sure enough I found it in his book, and I even found it in Tennessee, but not in my county.

So. I added another species to my tally.

On June 13, I photographed another UBD, this time a male, and thought (smugly) perhaps this is a Sweetflag. Again, I posted photos and asked for advice. First Marion Dobbs offered, "I hope Ed Lam or Dennis Paulson will speak up on this one. Hard to see the paraprocts well, but they don't seen slender enough for Swamp. Not sure about wing to body proportions either. The thing that immediately captures my attention is the dark spot, or spots, on the lower thorax. Maybe Spotted Spreadwing, though, again, paraprocts are suspect. I think Sweetflag and maybe Southern can have a single spot. Lam also mentions pale rear of head for Spotted and often for Sweetflag. And then there's pattern of pruinosity! May not be helpful at this age. Devil is in the details. I'll be anxious to hear a definitive ruling." Then Dennis Paulson wrote, "To me it looks perfect for an immature male Spotted Spreadwing. Paraprocts are shorter than in the others that were mentioned, quite large ventral thoracic spots, very fine antehumeral stripe, jagged lower edge to the broad antehumeral stripe." Ed Lam "liked" this post, so I think the experts have weighed in. To which I thought, W-h-a-t? I found Spotted in Ed's book and I found it in Tennessee, but not my county.

Now back to the AHA! I realize I have been going about this wrong. I have unnecessarily limited my ID research to this and surrounding counties. Now I see the error of my ways: my county first; surrounding counties second; state and north Georgia and Alabama third; then the books and everything in the genus.

Meanwhile, that makes three county records (including the Unicorn Clubtail) in 8 days, making 36 dragonfly species and 25 damselfly species I've identified on the Domain.

I am well pleased.

Another Tally of EmergenceCommon Green Darner

Fragile Forktail

Common Baskettail

Springtime Darner

Blue Corporal

Carolina Saddlebags

Lancet Clubtail

Common Whitetail

Azure Bluet

Southern Spreadwing

Calico Pennant

Comet Darner

Violet Dancer

Painted Skimmer

Black Saddlebags

Spangled Skimmer

Double-striped Bluet

Skimming Bluet

Orange Bluet

Citrine Forktail

Doubled-ringed Pennant

Eastern Pondhawk

Spangled Skimmer

Ebony Jewelwing

Stream Cruiser

Blue Dasher

Swamp Spreadwing

Amber-winged Spreadwing

Lilypad Forktail

Golden-winged Skimmer

Banded Pennant

Stream Bluet

Powdered Bluet

Slaty Skimmer

Prince Baskettail

Gray Petaltail

Southern Sprite

Widow Skimmer

Sweetflag Spreadwing

Unicorn Clubtail

Eastern Amberwing

Great Blue Skimmer

Spotted Spreadwing