May 26, 2009: added photos of a mature female from south Texas- see bottom of page:
June 25, 2008: added photos of a young female from south Texas- see bottom of page:
Update November, 2007: added photos of a female from Mexico - see bottom of page:
Three-striped Dasher Micrathyria didyma:
On June 10, 2005 at the Cattail pond north of the disused entrance booth at Santa Ana NWR, Hidaglo County, I found
this two males; based on John Abbott's book and website, these are the second
record for Texas:
The first male:
The second male:
On June 15, 2007 I found two males using exactly the same territories at Santa Ana that the males from 2005 were guarding - here's one of them:
On June 24, 2007 I found at least six males holding territories on the boardwalk pond at Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary, Cameron county; they seemed to prefer slightly higher perches than the Thornbush Dashers M. hageni also holding territories in the same locations. One pair were seen flying low over the water in the wheel position, and later I saw presumably the same pair still connected, with the female apparently ovipositing by tapping a couple of times of the surface as they hovered while connected. I later saw a lone female lurking low on the edge of the water-bound vegetation (about five feet from the line of bushes where the males were positioned), seeming to do this to avoid the attentions of the males. Here are two of the males:
Update September 20, 2007: added photos from today of a male found in Blucher Park, downtown Corpus Christi, Nueces County; This is a significant range extension, being the northernmost for the United States (per OdonataCentral). It was very wary, and after the initial brief encounter it took me more than an hour to relocate it and gradually move in for photos:
Update November, 2007: a female from San Blas, Mexico in September 2005:
Update June 25, 2008: a young female with amber HW spots and dark tips to the wings; from Hidalgo county, Texas:
A mature female from Bentsen State Park/WBC, Hidalgo county, Texas on May 14, 2009:
