Last year I participated in a number of
MOSP (Minnesota
Odonata Survey Project) around the state. One was held at the River Bend Nature Center located in
Faribault, MN about 25 miles south of the Twin Cities. The nature center had a good variety of habitats so I decided to return there last weekend.
Although I was primarily looking for dragonflies and damselflies, River Bend Nature Center is one of those places where you can see a great variety of nature. This is why I like spending time in nature centers because while looking for dragonflies you might get lucky and find a cooperative belted kingfisher.
The nature center has several wetland areas as well as some hardwood forests and open prairie. Wild flowers are in bloom forming a colorful carpet through out most of the grounds. Many insects, such as this bronze copper, were dining on nectar from the flowers and in turn helping to pollinate them.
The River Bend Nature Center began back in 1970s as the realization of a dream of the
Faribault Naturalist Club. In 1975 they convinced the
Faribault City Council to purchase 487 acres of land from the state for the purpose of building a, "Nature and Agricultural Interpretive Center." The land was
acquired in 1978
and in 1979 it was named the River Bend Nature Center, after the Great Bend in the Straight River which runs through the grounds. More land was
acquired over time, the park is currently 743 acres, and 1991 a new interpretive center was opened, replacing the
Trail Side Center which had been built back in 1980.
Down by the river there were many dragonflies and damselflies. Most of the damselflies that I saw down by the river where
broadwinged damselflies, such as ebony
jewelwings or the American
rubyspot pictured above.
For dragons I saw quite a few skimmers flying around, including common whitetail, twelve-spotted skimmers, and
meadowhawks, but I was hoping to find some
clubtails. I was finally rewarded when I found this
riverine clubtail. I have only seen this type of
clubtail once before, during the Minnesota Dragonfly Gathering of 2010 in Morris, MN. So I was pretty excited to get a chance to get some good pics. I was going to try and net it, I was not sure if one of this species had ever been recorded in the county, unfortunately it took off over the trees before I could switch over to my net.
The American rubyspot is a broadwing damselfly. Its bright red metallic color makes it unmistakable. Like all the broadwinged damselflies that live in Minnesota the American rubyspot is most often found along the banks of small to medium sized rivers. I photographed this one at Riverbend Nature Center in Faribault, MN
Damselflies are what you might call cousins to dragonflies. They are both a suborder of the same order, Odonata. Itsort of the way that moths are related to butterflies. What distinguishes a damselfly from a dragonfly are the wings. Damselflies have wings that are about the same size and shape where the forewing on dragons differs in size and shape from the hindwing. We have 3 families of damselflies here in Minnesota. The group with the largest and most colorful damsels is the broadwing family.
Here in Minnesota we have three species of broadwing damselfly. The river and ebony jewelwings, which have a metalic green colored body and at least partially black wings, and the American rubyspot, which is pictured above. The American rubyspot is a damselfly assosiated with small rivers and creeks. They are oftern seen perched on a blade of grass on a river bank basking in the sun. The sunlight seems to eluminate their red color often making them appear to glow. This is particularily true of the males, both pics above are males. The females typically are a duller red color mixed with some green.
Last year I participated in a number of MOSP (Minnesota Odonata Survey Project) around the state. One was held at the River Bend Nature Center located in Faribault, MN about 25 miles south of the Twin Cities. The nature center had a good variety of habitats so I decided to return there last weekend.
Although I was primarily looking for dragonflies and damselflies, River Bend Nature Center is one of those places where you can see a great variety of nature. This is why I like spending time in nature centers because while looking for dragonflies you might get lucky and find a cooperative belted kingfisher.
The nature center has several wetland areas as well as some hardwood forests and open prairie. Wild flowers are in bloom forming a colorful carpet through out most of the grounds. Many insects, such as this bronze copper, were dining on nectar from the flowers and in turn helping to pollinate them.
The River Bend Nature Center began back in 1970s as the realization of a dream of the Faribault Naturalist Club. In 1975 they convinced the Faribault City Council to purchase 487 acres of land from the state for the purpose of building a, "Nature and Agricultural Interpretive Center." The land was acquired in 1978 and in 1979 it was named the River Bend Nature Center, after the Great Bend in the Straight River which runs through the grounds. More land was acquired over time, the park is currently 743 acres, and 1991 a new interpretive center was opened, replacing the Trail Side Center which had been built back in 1980. 
Down by the river there were many dragonflies and damselflies. Most of the damselflies that I saw down by the river where broadwinged damselflies, such as ebony jewelwings or the American rubyspot pictured above.
For dragons I saw quite a few skimmers flying around, including common whitetail, twelve-spotted skimmers, and meadowhawks, but I was hoping to find some clubtails. I was finally rewarded when I found this riverine clubtail. I have only seen this type of clubtail once before, during the Minnesota Dragonfly Gathering of 2010 in Morris, MN. So I was pretty excited to get a chance to get some good pics. I was going to try and net it, I was not sure if one of this species had ever been recorded in the county, unfortunately it took off over the trees before I could switch over to my net. 
