Joseph Anthony
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Odonata ID - quebec, Canada (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Joseph Anthony
- Start date
Hi Anthony,
Very nice photo and the ID seems plausible, although I'm no dragonfly expert.
What is interesting to me is that this dragonfly appears to be totally infested with mites. I've never seen such a situation. It might be worth getting the Quebec University entomology department to comment.
Very nice photo and the ID seems plausible, although I'm no dragonfly expert.
What is interesting to me is that this dragonfly appears to be totally infested with mites. I've never seen such a situation. It might be worth getting the Quebec University entomology department to comment.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
pdwinter
Paul Winter
Can't help with the ID I'm afraid
In Europe Sympetrum meridionale (Southern Darter) attracts mites - e.g. in this dragonflypix image
as does Ceriagrion tenellum (Small Red Damselfly) - an image from the New Forest (Hampshire, UK) attached.
In Europe Sympetrum meridionale (Southern Darter) attracts mites - e.g. in this dragonflypix image
as does Ceriagrion tenellum (Small Red Damselfly) - an image from the New Forest (Hampshire, UK) attached.
Attachments
Quite surprising for dragonflies to pick up these parasites.
Bees do need to visit flowers, so there is a place for mites to ambush them, but dragonflies are hunters and can perch anywhere, usually on bare branches with clear exposures. Wonder how the mites manage to get on them.
pdwinter
Paul Winter
The mites attach themselves to the larvae and transfer to the adult on / during emergence. They then feed up and expand and when the adult odonates are involved in oviposition the mites 'jump ship' and complete their development back in the water.
(A poor summary of info from chapter 7 of Dragonflies - Corbet & Brooks!)
Most interesting, thank you for this information.
Nature sure does not miss a trick, just a spectacular life cycle for those mites.
Live and learn!
Thank you, this is an aspect of insect life that is quite new to me. I'd thought that bees were the primary species with a mite problem, clearly that is too narrow a view.