Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
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Dragonfly and Damselfly Monitoring at Nachusa Grasslands

We’ve monitored dragonflies and damselflies since 2013 at Nachusa Grasslands. As of 2021, there are seven volunteer dragonfly monitors who report data to Nachusa Grasslands and the state of Illinois. Aesthetically, many dragonflies are beautiful. They make our natural areas a prettier place. But more importantly, because they spend so much of their life underwater as nymphs, dragonflies can tell us something about water quality and its changes over time. We also monitor dragonfly migration, which is still not completely understood by science. Dragonflies may also tell us about weather changes over time, as we follow their population and species numbers. 
Seeing Dragonflies and Damselflies at Nachusa Grasslands
The best viewing times are from mid-May to the end of October in one of our accessible public hiking areas. Look for them on warm sunny days without a lot of wind, hovering over the prairie or perching in the grasses by a stream. A good dragonfly ID book such as "Stokes Beginner's Guide to Dragonflies" is an excellent place to start learning more about these amazing creatures.
Picture
​Dragonfly Monitors
MONITOR  / UNIT MONITORING
Cindy Crosby
DRAGONFLY STEWARD COORDINATOR
  • Dave Brewer
    TELLABS EAST
  • Joyce Gibbons 
    HEINKLE​​  & THELMA CARPENTER​​
  • Dee Hudson
    WILLIAMS
  • J.T. Morand
    SAND FARM & JUANITA WILLIAMS
  • Bill Kruk
    ​BIG JUMP
  • Stew Pagenstecher
    TELLABS WEST
  • Joe Richardson 
    HOOK LARSON WEST

    ​How can I become a Dragonfly and Damselfly Monitor?

    ​It's easy! Just fill out this form and Cindy Crosby will contact you.
Submit

Can you find these species at Nachusa?

Damselflies you might see . . .
Picture
Springwater Dancer ♂
 Argia plana
Picture
Violet Dancer ♂
Argia fumipennis violacea
Picture
River Bluet ♂
 Enallagma anna ​
Picture
Eastern Forktail ♂
Ischnura veticalis
Picture
Fragile Forktail ♂
Ischnura posita
Picture
Slender Spreadwing ♂ ​
Lestes rectangularis
Dragonflies you might see . . .
Picture
Common Whitetail ♀ 
Libellula lydia
Picture
Common Whitetail ♂ ​
Libellula lydia
Picture
Eastern Pondhawk ♀
Erythemis simplicicollis
Picture
Widow Skimmer ♂
Libellula luctuosa
Picture
Twelve-Spotted Skimmer ♂
Libellula pulchella
Picture
Blue Dasher ♂
Pachydiplax longipennis
For a complete list of dragonflies and damselflies seen at Nachusa, visit our Insect website page.

​UPDATED 07/2020

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2075 Lowden Road             |           Franklin Grove, IL 61031              |             Contact Us


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  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission and Leadership
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2022
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Teacher Resources
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Autumn on the Prairie
    • Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays >
      • Workday Signup
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Stewardship Teams
    • Workday Email List
    • Steward Login
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Stewards and Staff
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Weekly Top Picks
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Links & Resources
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2023
      • Science Grants 2022
      • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2020
      • Science Grants 2019
      • Science Grants 2018
      • Science Grants 2017
      • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2015
      • Science Grants 2014
      • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Science Symposium 2022
    • Science Symposium Abstracts >
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2019
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2018
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2017
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2016
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Testimonials >
      • Dr. Holly Jones
      • Dr. Nick Barber
      • Kimberly Elsenbroek
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • 30th Anniversary Memories
    • Websites of Interest
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
      • Visitor Photos
    • Submit Your Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs