Bidwell Park Treasures

by Tim Manolis

Bidwell Park is an excellent place to view a wide variety of dragonflies and damselflies (Family Odonata). Of about 108 species in this group known to occur in California, 66 species are found in Butte County and at least 45 of these have been recorded in Bidwell Park. A few Sonoran Zone species--Desert Firetail, Neon Skimmer--reach the northern limits of their ranges in Bidwell Park. The first list of species found in the park dates back to June 14-15 1914, published in Clarence H. Kennedy's pioneering 1917 paper on California dragonflies. Kennedy also published lists for the Feather River near Oroville and nearby Table Mountain. There are some interesting differences between Kennedy's list for the park and the current occupants. Familar Bluet and Widow Skimmer are now common in the park, but were not reported by Kennedy. Both of these species are common inhabitants of artificial ponds, lakes and irrigation canals, and can tolerate polluted waters. They have apparently spread into northern California in recent decades as a result of human activity. Fortunately, no species seem to have disappeared from the park since Kennedy's day.

The following species of dragonflies and damselflies have been found in Bidwell Park.

Dragonflies

  • Pacific Spiketail (Cordulegaster dorsalis)
  • White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus)
  • Pacific Clubtail (Gomphus kurilis)
  • Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis)
  • Bison Snaketail (Ophiogomphus bison)
  • Sinuous Snaketail (Ophiogomphus occidentis)
  • Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis)
  • California Darner (Aeshna californica)
  • Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna multicolor)
  • Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa)
  • Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
  • Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica)
  • ale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax)
  • Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata)
  • Comanche Skimmer (Libellula comanche)
  • Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis)
  • Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis)
  • Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)
  • Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
  • Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)
  • Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
  • Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes)
  • Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea)
  • Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
  • Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
  • Western Meadowhawk (Sympetrum occidentale)
  • Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes)
  • Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Damselflies

  • American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)
  • California Spreadwing (Archilestes californica)
  • Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener)
  • Western Red Damsel (Amphiagrionabbreviatum)
  • California Dancer (Argia agrioides)
  • Emma's Dancer (Argia emma)
  • Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens)
  • Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana)
  • Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)
  • Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
  • Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)
  • Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum)
  • Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)
  • Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis)
  • Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)
  • Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva)
  • Exclamation Damsel (Zoniagrion exclamationis)

Also see the accompanying article by Kathy Biggs, Dragonflies... for a Change of Pace.

From the Spring 2001 issue of the Environmental News.