By Lisa Cook on May 9, 2014
Dragonfly watching is the new birdwatching, says Tyler Cobb, '07 PhD, curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton. Many people, especially in Alberta, have been noticing an increase in dragonflies the past few summers. They're probably seeing variable darners and cherry-faced meadowhawks, says Cobb. They have been much more plentiful in recent summers, likely due to increased moisture and larger mosquito populations. There are about 50 species of dragonflies and damselflies in Alberta and more than 200 found across Canada. That leads to some great identification opportunities. Similar to birdwatching, there are several websites and guidebooks to help you identify and catalogue the dragonflies you spot. Cobb recommends Dragonflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America by Sidney Dunkle and Damselflies of Alberta by John Acorn, '80 BSc, '88 MSc, as well as the online guide bugguide.net for help finding and identifying various species.
