Cyrano's return

June 08, 2017  •  Leave a Comment


The Chill is starting to diminish, and as it departs, emerging life is making up for lost time. The Mountain Laurels are opening in a rush, and I've been rushing to and fro to watch the spectacle. For reasons I can't quite put my finger on, our display in the yard is the one that's most advanced, and while I was admiring the show, I heard a familiar rattle of wings as a large odonate dropped by. The large size, big eyes that met in a complete seam, and almost vertical perching position all said Darner-type dragonfly, but the blue-green color of the markings didn't give me an instant ah-hah about the species. That said, there was something about the odonate that said, "I've seen you before." I'm still awaiting confirmation, but if the few working brain cells I possess did indeed summon up a true memory, then what I pondered on the Laurels was a Cyrano Darner. Nasiaeschna pentacantha is not particularly common in our area, and if I'm right about the identification, I've only spotted this species one other time—and that would have been several years ago on a morning walk when there was still a hayfield across the street. At the time, my dragonfly mentor Dennis Paulson was good enough to provide the ID of the mystery species, and the odonate expert told me to take note of the Cyrano-like shnoz in front of the eyes. That characteristic is certainly evident, so, even without professional help, I think I can be confident that Cyrano has paid a return visit.


Comments

No comments posted.
Loading...

Archive
January (12) February March April (20) May (31) June (30) July (31) August (28) September October (18) November (18) December
January (1) February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December