OdonataCentralDSA Annual Meeting
2009 Dragonfly Society of the Americas
Annual Meeting, Sullivan, Missouri. Dates: June 19-June 21, 2009
NEW!
From Tim Vogt - DSA attendees should be apprised they can come early, stay late, or revisit throughout the flight season at ALL MO State Parks (May 1 through 10/31). The permit is what the site supervisor and/or naturalist will need to see. The application is not necessary, but will provide valuable background information for attendees. This does not apply to Missouri Department of Conservation Areas. DSA attendees must be accompanied by a subpermittee or file their own permit application. Sister agencies that are not in the same department (DNR [State Parks] vs. MDC [Conservation Areas]). As mentioned earlier no permit is needed for Mark Twain National Forest Lands. No permission has been granted by the National Park Service Scenic Riverways (Current River, Jacks Fork, and Eleven Point River. Photography is still an option there. The following list of species has already been removed from the MDC Species of Conservation List: Anax longipes, Gomphus ozarkensis, Ophiogomphus westfalli, and Macromia pacifica. Those can be deleted. Gomphus fraternus, Gomphus ventricosus, Somatochlora hineana, Somatochlora ozarkensis, and Stylurus notatus remain on the list. The MDC permit allows the collecting of all of the above, except the federally listed Somatochlora hineana. However, attendees must also be with a subpermittee. Paul McKenzie, Jane Walker, Joe Smentowski, Tim Cashatt, Tim Vogt, Richard Day, Linden Trial, and John Belshe are all MDC subpermittees.
Click here to register for the meeting and/or to give a talk or poster (If you are planning on giving a talk, please register by June 1).
Contacts: Paul McKenzie <paul_mckenzie@fws.gov> (573-445-3019 H and 573-234-2132 ext. 107 W) and Jane Walker <j.walker_smentowski@yahoo.com> (314-965-6522)
***The recent flu outbreak may impact travel to this meeting and to the WDA meeting in Xalapa, Mexico immediately proceeding the DSA meeting. Please check back regularly for updates. The organizers for the WDA meeting have posted the following notice; click here.
The 2009 DSA annual meeting will be held 19-21 June 2009 in the scenic Missouri Ozarks at Sullivan, Missouri (pre-meeting trips 17-18 June; post-meeting trips 22-23 June-see further details below). Meeting headquarters will be at the Comfort Inn in Sullivan (573-468-7800) where we have reserved a block of 30 rooms. Located off Interstate I-44 at Exit 225, 736 South Road, Sullivan, MO 63080, the Comfort Inn has given us a discounted double occupancy rate of $71.99 + tax. To get the discounted rate, mention that you are from the DSA or Dragonfly Society. Please make your reservations as early as possible to receive the discount rate. June 10 is the cut off date. Other motels in the area include Sullivan Super 8 (573-468-8076), Baymont Inn (573-860-3333, and EconoLodge (573-468-3136). Cabins and camping are available at Meramec State Park on a first come first serve reservation (573-468-6519).
WDA attendees (Xalapa Mexico, 7-12 June; 13-15 June with post trips), time and funding permitting, are most welcome to attend this meeting. Should one choose to attend the WDA post-meeting trip, the entire day of June 16 would be available for travel and still allow attendance at the DSA pre-meeting trips. Other logistical options are possible. Please contact Tim Vogt at somatochlora_sp1@yahoo.com for further details.
Sullivan is approximately a 1.5-2.0 hr. drive southwest of St. Louis Lambert Field airport. From the airport drive west on Interstate I-70 (to Kansas City), go south on Interstate I-270 (to Memphis), then go west on Interstate I-44 (to Tulsa) to Exit 225 in Sullivan. Meramec State Park is off Exit 226. For those members planning to drive in from the East, plan on using either I-70/ I-270 or I-44 to go around St. Louis. A large section of U.S. Hwy 40 is closed from I-270 eastward. Other fly in options include Kansas City and hubs in Springfield, Jefferson City, and Columbia. DSA attendees should plan to arrive on Thursday, June 18 to take advantage of collecting trips starting from the “parking lot” of the Sullivan Comfort Inn Friday 19 June at 8:00 a.m. Please contact Jane Walker by phone or email (listed above) if you plan to meet at the Comfort Inn parking lot at 8:00 a.m. We will need the list of attendees so we can figure out how many groups/field trips to divide into.
Notes on Collecting
Trip leaders will have the necessary permits to cover members at all designated trip localities. Missouri no longer requires a collection permit for terrestrial invertebrates, except as stated below:
“A Wildlife Collector’s permit is required to collect insects on any Missouri Department of Conservation lands, or to collect Species of Conservation Concern whether or not the collecting is done on MDC lands. Any requests to permanently remove Species of Conservation Concern must include written justification for the collection. The permits will require that MDC area managers and local conservation agents be notified in advance of collecting trips. The application form may be downloaded as either a PDF file (http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/11827.pdf ) or Word document (http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/8908.doc ).”
Current Missouri odonate Species of Conservation Concern (steps are currently underway to recommend removal of some of these species) include: Anax longipes, Gomphus fraternus, G. ozarkensis, G. ventricosus, Macromia pacifica, Ophiogomphus westfalli, Somatochlora hineana, S. ozarkensis, and Stylurus notatus. No collecting or netting of Somatochlora hineana will be allowed. We have planned a series of group led collection trips to cover as much odonate diversity as possible. Trip leaders will have the necessary MDC and State Park permits to cover members. For those members that feel constrained by group led trips, those members planning on collecting insects other than odonates, and those wishing to collect aquatic stages of insects, we suggest you apply for your own collection permit. Other agencies may request additional permits. MDC permits supersede other agencies, including National Forest. MDC sends out permits 6 weeks from receipt of applications, so apply early. Jane Walker will field questions about permits j.walker_smentowski@yahoo.com
The DSA board meeting and presentations of papers will be held at the Meramec State Park Conference Center on Saturday, June 20. The center is air conditioned with facilities. Collecting trips are planned for Friday, June 19 and Sunday June 21. Foray opportunities will focus on the Meramec River watershed and areas in between. The Meramec River is a medium sized Ozark stream, undammed its entire 212 mile length. With a 25% base flow from ground water sources, the Meramec River flows off the Ozark Plateau wending its way northeast, east, then southeast into the Mississippi River. The Bourbeuse River, a tributary of the Meramec, is a winding, twisting river that covers 100 river miles over 27 air miles in one county. Both rivers are primarily sand-mud bottomed with gravel riffles separated by long shallow to deep pools and a diverse odonate fauna. Other tributaries included in our collection plans include Indian and Little Indian Creeks, the Courtois River and the Huzzah. We are also planning visits to some fishless ponds in the Mark Twain National Forest and to an Ozark fen site for a Somatochlora hineana photo op.
Some of the expected odonate fauna includes: Anax longipes, Arigomphus villosipes, A. submedianus, Lestes eurinus, Gomphus externus, G. graslinellus, G. ozarkensis, G. quadricolor, G. vastus, Macromia illinoiensis, M. pacifica, Neurocordulia xanthosoma, Ophiogomphus westfalli, Somatochlora linearis, S. ozarkensis, S. tenebrosa, and Stylogomphus sigmastylus. We are also hoping to collect Gomphus fraternus (new to Missouri 2005), plus G. lineatifrons and G. ventricosus, all three from the Meramec River but rare.
Three Pre-meeting Trips Planned
1. Columbia and Surrounding Environs. Wednesday-Thursday, 17-18 of June (plan on arriving June 16). Paul McKenzie and Linden Trial will lead trips to Rocky Forks Conservation Area, Finger Lakes State Park, Mark Twain National Forest just SE of Columbia, and private property with a large population of Ischnura kellicotti. Other target species include: Anax longipes, Arigomphus lentulus, Gomphus externus, G. graslinellus, G. militaris and Dythemis velox. No block of rooms have been reserved in Columbia, but the following is a list of possible accommodations with telephone numbers: At the east end of town near I-70 and Rt. 63 (exit 128A): Comfort Inn (573-814-2727); Country Inn & Suites (573-445-8585); Hampton Inn & Suites (573-886-9392); and Super 8 (573-474-8488). Contact Paul McKenzie for more information:
e-mail: paul_mckenzie@fws.gov, phone (573-445-3019 H and 573-234-2132 ext 107 W). Columbia, MO is a 2 hour drive west of St. Louis Lambert Field Airport on I-70. People flying into Columbia would travel north on Rt. 63 from the Columbia airport to the I-70 hotels listed above. People attending this pre-trip will head to Sullivan the afternoon of 18 June so we will be available for field trips in/near Sullivan on Friday 19 June. People participating in the June 17-18 pretrip should make their reservations at the Sullivan Comfort Inn or alternative lodging for 18-20 June.
2. Float Trip on the Meramec River Thursday, June 18. Interested participants should plan on arriving in Sullivan, Missouri on July 17. (See directions to Sullivan under information on DSA meeting.) Jane Walker and Joe Smentowski will lead a 10 mile canoe float trip on the Meramec River. The first five miles will pass lots of gravel bars with opportunities to wade and collect. During the second half we will stop at Green Cave and explore one of many caves in the area. The trip will end at Meramec State Park, just south of Sullivan Missouri. The trip will cost $30.00 per canoe. This section of the Meramec River requires moderate Class I canoe skills. Target species include: Arigomphus villosipes, Gomphus externus, G. fraternus, G. graslinellus, G. lineatifrons, G. ozarkensis, G. quadricolor, G. vastus, G. ventricosus, Hagenius brevistylus, Macromia illinoiensis, Macromia pacifica, and Ophiogomphus westfalli. Contact Jane Walker for information: e-mail j.walker_smentowski@yahoo.com , phone: (314-965-6522 H).
3. Southwest Missouri Prairie Country, Wednesday and Thursday, June 17 & 18. Individuals interested should plan on arriving June 16. Tim Vogt will lead a trip to Joplin, MO, La Petite Gemme Prairie, Prairie State Park and Clear Creek Conservation Area. Target species include: Argia nahuana, Arigomphus lentulus, Dythemis fugax, D. velox, Gomphus militaris, and an odd Cordulegaster Tim thinks may be a new species. Suggested lodging is the Lamar Super 8 (417-682-6888) in Lamar, MO. Contact Tim Vogt for more information: e-mail: Somatochlora_sp1@yahoo.com , phone (573-636-5824 H). Note: because this pre-trip is on the opposite side of the state from Sullivan, Missouri, participants in attendance may not reach the Comfort Inn until Friday 19 June. Participants attending this pre-trip that arrive in Sullivan Thursday 18 June should contact Jane Walker if you plan to meet at the Sullivan Comfort Inn at 8:00 a.m. Friday 19 June.
Post Trip Opportunities (1-2 days depending on interest)
1. A Two in One Field Trip to Kaintuck Hollow Fen, DeWitt Pond, Mark Twain National Forest wildlife pond, Mills Creek and Little Piney Creek Conservation Area. One group will be collecting with Paul McKenzie paul_mckenzie@fws.gov and Tim Cashatt and the second group will be photographing with Richard Day (richard@daybreakimagery.com). The two groups will visit each site at different times in order not to interfere with each other. Target species include: Anax longipes, Argia bipunctulata, A. plana, Chromagrion conditum, Enallagma carunculatum, Gomphus militaris, G. ozarkensis, Lestes eurinus, Ophiogomphus westfalli, and Stylogomphus sigmastylus. Contact Paul McKenzie for more information.
2. Gasconade River, Big Piney and Little Piney Rivers. Target species include: Arigomphus villosipes, Gomphus lineatifrons, G. ozarkensis, G. quadricolor, G. vastus, Ophiogomphus westfalli, and Stylogomphus sigmastylus. Contact Tim Vogt for more information Somatochlora_sp1@yahoo.com.
Among the many possible disoveries at this meeting is an unusual form of Cordulegaster obliqua (Arrowhead Spiketail). The brightly colored individual on the left was taken in 2004 in Polk Co., Missouri.
Nick and Ailsa Donnelly Fellowship for 2009
DSA offers assistance with travel of presenters to DSA meetings. The fellowship is open to anyone presenting a talk or poster at the DSA annual meeting, but preference will be given to individuals from outside the
