Prairie InvertebratesInvertebrates: the little things that run the world –E.O. WilsonPrairie Odonates Dragonflies and Damselflies of our GrasslandsOdonate images by ©Richard Day/Daybreak ImageryAn Interview with Richard DayIn 2013, the Missouri PrairieFoundation (MPF) contracted asurvey of dragonflies and damselflies(also referred to as “Odonates”)from nine MPF upland prairies andone bottomland prairie owned byThe Nature Conservancy (TNC).Photographer and entomologistRichard Day conducted the survey, thefunding of which was made possiblethrough the bequest from Ms. LindenTrial to MPF in 2012 and 2013.Ms. Trial was an entomologistspecializing in dragonflies anddamselflies with the MissouriDepartment of Conservation from1972 until her retirement in 1999.An avid field researcher, Ms. Trialdiscovered the rare Hine’s emeralddragonfly in Reynolds County, MO in1999. Her contributions to dragonflydata are widely used in both state andnational conservation projects.In the interview below, Daydiscusses the results of his 2013survey and shares information aboutdragonfly and damselfly ecology.—Carol Davit, EditorMDC/Cliff WhiteYou recorded a total of 35 dragonfliesand damselflies during the survey of10 tracts of land owned by MPF andTNC. Is this high, or low, for uplandprairies, and why?I would say it’s about normal or slightlylow. There was very little water onthese tracts, which of course determinespopulation. When water was present, itwas in ponds, which probably had fishin them and would keep the dragonflylarvae population lower than fishless,shallow prairie potholes.What is the total number of Odonatespecies in the entire tallgrass prairieregion?My personal perspective would be fewerthan 50 to 70 depending on habitat,location, and water.Does habitat fragmentationimpact upland grassland Odonatepopulations, or is the limiting factoravailable fresh water?Water.What do Odonates eat?Any insects including other dragonfliesor damselflies. A dragonfly can consume15 to 18 percent or more of its ownbody weight a day.What eats Odonates?Frogs, spiders, and birds are some of thetop predators. Purple martins are voraciouspredators of dragonfly populationsand also other birds in the swallow family,such as tree swallows.Are some Odonate species more, orless, tolerant of poor water quality?Odonata larvae can be very sensitiveto water-related issues. Pollution fromdevelopment and agriculture is a threat.Animal waste from farms and ranchescan threaten an ecosystem if not managedproperly. Mismanaged pastures andstorage facilities are ongoing concerns.Overgrazing exposes soils and makesthem more vulnerable to erosion andinvasion of undesirable plants. Whenlivestock graze and trample vegetation,Linden Trial conducting fieldwork; above, a blue dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis).16 Missouri Prairie Journal Vol. 35 No. 2
Top, the pond at Penn-Sylvania Prairie provides habitat for larvae of Odonates and other aquatic macroinvertebrates. Above, at left, is an easternforktail (Ischnura verticalis) at Schwartz Prairie, and at right, a jade clubtail (Arigomphus submedianus) at Marmaton River Bottoms Wet Prairie.Vol. 35 No. 2 Missouri Prairie Journal 17
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