Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
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Dragonfly and Damselfly Monitoring at Nachusa Grasslands

To learn more about volunteering as a dragonfly/damselfly monitor, please complete the form on the "About Community Scientists" page.

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
  • Gail Chastain and Steve Baginski​Tellabs West
  • Cindy Crosby
    Sedge Meadow/Fen, Powerline Ponds, Beaver Ponds, Clear Creek, Team Nymph
  • Joyce Gibbons 
    Heinkle, Thelma Carpenter, Jay Meiners Wetlands, Team Nymph​
  • Jan Grainger
    Team Nymph
  • Teresa Haggestad
    Yellow House
  • Kay Handel & Eric Wiltshire
    Big Jump Prairie​​
  • ​​John Harris
    Data Manager
  • ​​John Harris
    Data Manager
  • Jen Hawkins
    Visitor Center South, Team Nymph
  • Dee Hudson
    Williams & Bison Ponds
  • Linda Kuhns 
    Tellabs East, Team Nymph
  • J.T. Morand
    Juanita Williams North​
  • Stew Pagenstecher
    Harold Walk-up​​
  • Cheryl Wash
    Juanita Williams Central
  • Holly Yee
    Visitor Center North, Team Nymph

Dragonfly and Damselfly Nymph Monitors

Dragonflies and damselflies spend most of their lives in Nachusa’s ponds and streams as nymphs. When the weather warms and days lengthen each spring, dragonfly and damselfly nymphs of many species emerge and complete their last stage of incomplete metamorphosis. They clamber onto foliage, then exchange the life of the water for the life of the air.
 
Collecting the nymphs is important for documenting the species that breed at Nachusa and their presence also indicates health of the habitat.
​
Nymph Monitors
  • Cindy Crosby
  • Jan Grainger
  • Joyce Gibbons
  • Jen Hawkins
  • Linda Kuhns
  • Holly Yee

    ​How can I become a Dragonfly and Damselfly Monitor?

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

    The 2025 season of volunteers is FULL. Please check back for an opening or fill out for interest in 2026.
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 03/2025

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8772 S. Lowden Road  (mailing address)            
2075 Lowden Road (Visitor Center)           
Franklin Grove, IL 61031

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  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission, Leadership, Objectives, and Financials
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2025
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Guided Hikes
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • Autumn on the Prairie >
      • Yearly Festival
    • What's In Bloom?
    • 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
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Workday Email List
    • Volunteer Recognition
    • Docents
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Weed Reports
    • Native plant resources
    • Volunteer Stewards
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Resource Links
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Symposium 2025
    • 2025 Science Symposium Abstracts
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2025
      • Science Grants 2021 to 2024 >
        • Science Grants 2024
        • Science Grants 2023
        • Science Grants 2022
        • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2016 to 2020 >
        • Science Grants 2020
        • Science Grants 2019
        • Science Grants 2018
        • Science Grants 2017
        • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2011 to 2015 >
        • Science Grants 2015
        • Science Grants 2014
        • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Anderson Science Award
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Nachusa Staff
    • 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
    • Websites of Interest
  • Teacher Resources
    • K-2nd grades
    • 3rd-5th grades
    • 6th-8th grades
    • High School
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs