Odonata’s four-winged wonders call Ouabache State Park home
Story & Photos By Alan Daugherty
Odonata can mean either a dragonfly or damselfly. In many ways, the two insects are alike. Odonata hatch from eggs as nymphs and live longer in the water than as a flying adult dragonfly or damselfly. Nymphs are carnivorous. They eat any smaller water creatures.
As adults, they catch insects on the fly. During the summer at Ouabache State Park, you can enjoy watching dragonflies dart about over Kunkel Lake looking for their favorite form of fast food.
Nymphs instinctively know when it’s time to stop eating and crawl from the water onto a strong plant stem. From there, the dragonflies and damselflies emerge through the back of a nymph shell. Odonata’s predominant adult stage role becomes producing a new generation.
Many dragonflies and damselflies hold similar characteristics. Each has two sets of similar size wings showing a dark mark near the tip. This mark is called pterostigma. Both have long slender abdomens and comparatively large heads. Very large compound eyes sit below almost hair-like antennae.
Indiana claims 39 dragonflies and damselflies.
DRAGON OR DAMSEL?
In general, you can spot the difference between them by the orientation of their wings when perched.
Dragonflies spread their wings perpendicular to their body. Most damselflies perch with their wings tucked over and parallel with their thorax and abdomen.
Every simply rule comes with an exception. In Indiana, you might just happen upon a perched Spreadwing damselfly. As their name suggests, they perch like a dragonfly though belonging to the family of damselflies.
VIVID VARIETIES
Damselflies mature smaller than dragonflies. Again, there are exceptions because some dragonflies can be only an inch long.
In the fall, a small bright strawberry red dragonfly appears. It is also often people friendly. If you wait patiently, silently and immobile near where you find these red dragonflies, one just might fly up and land to investigate you just as you have come to it for observation. It might get up close and personal, an event some call “dragonfly whispering.”
Ouabache State Park can give dragonfly lovers a peek at several types of skimmers. They stand apart because they have wings that are not completely clear. A widow skimmer’s wings begin with black, then a spot of white, finishing as clear tips. A 12-spotted skimmer shows off its beautiful clear wings with alternating black and white spots. If you are lucky to see a four-spotted pennant dragonfly, you will note each of the four wings has a single black central dot on each gossamer wing.
A hike guaranteed to find dragonflies begins on Ouabache State Park’s Kunkel Lake walkway. This consists of a portion of the moderate 3-mile Trail No. 4. Begin at the boathouse and walk east to and just past the foot bridge. Be careful on the bridge as it has been known from history to empower loving relationships between humans. If no eyes are watching, a “bridge kiss” is considered normal. Be aware this bridge location will have many dragonfly eyes watching your activity.
Dragonflies continue plentiful from the bridge to the open grass near Lakeside Shelter. Fishing visitors may find dragonflies perching on their fishing rods or on the tip of the floating bobber.
During this hike, barely a quarter of the walkway around the lake, you should also encounter many damselflies. Dragonflies are more likely to be found perched on stalks protruding from the water or limbs overhanging the lake. Damselflies can be found on plants at the edge of the lake on both sides of the easy-walking stone trail.
Plenty of parking exists near the boathouse. After your dragonfly and damselfly hike, retrace your steps to the boathouse. There you might find abundant damselflies on the pier between the paddleboats. Damselflies also enjoy an occasional visit to the native plants blooming around the boathouse. Check out that location prior to returning to your car.
Enjoy odonata, beautiful insects that do not sting or bite.
Yorumlar