Some Konza Prairie Invertebrates - 15 July 2006

A Web Page by Roy Beckemeyer

Last updated 17 January 2007

Photographs of various critters seen during or just after a dragonfly walk with the Konza Docents.

Right: A female Eastern Forktail damselfly [Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae: Ischnura verticalis].  We also saw males.

Below: A male Twelvespot Skimmer dragonfly [Odonata: Anisoptera: Libellulidae: Libellula pulchella].  Two males were chasing one another and a Common Whitetail male around a small pool.  Here he is taking a well-deserved rest.

Below right: A dung beetle [Coleoptera: Scarabeidae] manipulating a ball of dung.

Below left: A Study In Green: A female Eastern Pondhawk [Odonata: Anisoptera: Erythemis simplicicollis]

Below right: A male Dusky Dancer damselfly [Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae: Argia translata].  This species is restricted in Kansas to the Flint Hills, as it prefers clear water and rocky stream bottoms, which don't occur very widely in Kansas except in the Flint Hills.

Below left: A male Springwater Dancer [Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae: Argia plana].  This damselfly is a spring specialist that may be found across the state in appropriate habitats.

Below right: Another dancer damselfly, the Powdered Dancer [Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae: Argia moesta].  This is a very common damselfly on streams across Kansas.

Below left: A beautiful robber fly - these flies are visual predators that sit perched watching for prey.  The large raptorial legs, "beard", and elongated abdomen are features of these interesting insects [Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae: Apocleini: Triorla interrupta (Male)].

A complete list of Odonata seen today would include the following additional damselflies: The Ebony Jewelwing [Calopteryx maculata].

And the following additional dragonflies: The Widow Skimmer [or Pied Skimmer - Libellula luctuosa]; The Common Whitetail [Libellula lydia or Plathemis lydia]; The Blue Dasher [Pachydiplax longipennis].  I saw while walking the stream along the nature trail by myself a Cruiser dragonfly, either an Illinois River Cruiser or a Gilded River Cruiser - I didn't get a good enough look to be sure, so we'll call it Macromia species [Odonata: Anisoptera: Corduliidae: Macromiinae]..