Surveys for Odonates at high-elevation wetlands Colville National Forest Northeast Washington Summer 2009 ISSSP Project Chris Loggers, West Zone Wildlife Biologist Rick A. Moore, Ph.D, Contractor SUMMARY The purpose of the project was to document odonates that occupy high-elevation wetlands on the Colville National Forest in northeastern Washington. Of more than 40 high-elevation wetlands identified, we selected 5 sites (1 site consists of 2 wetlands: Davis and Little Davis lakes) to survey in 2009. We surveyed each site 3 times: early, mid- and late summer/early autumn during warm, sunny weather and during periods of the day that covered flight times of various odonates. We captured 32 different species overall and at each site photographed the first specimen of each species captured. We retained vouchers of the 3 county records documented and sent these to Dennis Paulson. The July capture of Coenagrion interrogatum and September captures of Somatochlora minor, Aeshna sitchensis and A. subarctica extended the known flight dates for these species in Washington. For Aeshna species, we measured the length of the first five males captured at a site to begin building a database of local body lengths. INTRODUCTION In northeastern Washington (NEWA), surveys for invertebrates, even the charismatic lepids and odonates, have been ad hoc in nature. Though Cannings (2002) and Paulson (1999) list species that probably occur in NEWA, no systematic surveys have been conducted to document distribution, either by extent or elevation. Since 2005, the Colville National Forest (CNF) has coordinated limited surveys for odonates at various sites on public land in NEWA. Most sites were located at low or mid elevations. The CNF has also maintained records of miscellaneous odonate sightings. These surveys and sightings have resulted in the documentation of 10 county records (first captures in a specific county) and records that have expanded the flight times of several species (D. Paulson, pers. comm.). The Update of the Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species Lists and Transmittal of Strategic Species List (USDA Forest Service 2008) listed 3 odonates as “strategic species”: 1. Aeshna subarctica: 3 locations in WA, 2 on the CNF and 1 in Chelan Co.; 2. Coenagrion interrogatum: 2 location in WA, both on the CNF; and 3. Leucorrhinia borealis: 1 location in WA, near the Okanogan NF. The next List will include Somatochlora whitehousei and Somatochlora franklini, which in Washington have only been recorded at one location, on the CNF (C. Hughes, pers. comm.). All of the above species are considered boreal obligates, their distribution being either holarctic (Aeshna subarctica) or restricted to North America (the others). This boreal environment dips into Washington in two locations: the NE part of the state (the area covered by the CNF) and the central part of the state (the Okanogan Highlands). METHODS We used the National Wetlands Database GIS and the CNF digital elevation GIS coverages to identify about 40 high-elevation (above 3,500 feet) wetlands. We used the NAIP digital orthophoto and the existing roads coverages to identify 5 wetland areas greater than 5 acres in size (Table 1, Appendix 2 for maps) that could relatively easily be accessed by road. Table 1. Wetlands surveyed, locations, elevations, wetland sizes, and dates surveyed. BM = Bunchgrass Meadows HP = Hall Ponds DCBP = Deadman Ck Beaver Ponds DL = Davis Lake GM = Granite Meadows LDL = Little Davis Lake WGS 84, UTM Zone 11N Location BM DCBP GM HP DL LDL Lat (N) Long (W) T R Sec County Elev. (ft) 48° 41.871 48° 39.571 48° 37.099 48° 31.646 48° 44.399 48° 44.487 -117° 10.440 -118° 26.156 -117° 28.713 -118° 32.552 -118° 13.773 -118° 13.244 37 37 36 35 37 38 44 35 42 34 36 36 23&24 31 14 16 3 34 Pend Oreille Ferry Pend Oreille Ferry Ferry Ferry 4950 4955 4400 4690 4520 4255 Location Bunchgrass Meadows Deadman Ck Beaver Ponds Granite Meadows Hall Ponds Davis Lake Little Davis Lake 30-Jun 4-Jul 9-Jun 5-Jul 3-Jul DNS Acres Open Wetland Water 208 5 5 1 36 6 8 5 4 15 5 2 Dates surveyed 3-Aug 31-Aug 9-Aug 9-Sep 6-Aug 2-Sep 2-Aug 1-Sep 5-Aug 11-Sep 5-Aug 11-Sep Odonates flight periods vary by species and we scheduled surveys to occur 3 times during the summer: early summer period between mid-June and mid-July, mid-summer period between mid-July and mid-August, and late summer/early autumn period after midAugust but before frosts after mid-September. Between 1 and 4 people surveyed each wetland area on warm, sunny days to maximize flying odonates. Surveyors walked the entire wetland and associated dry, open uplands, if present. Each time an odonate was caught it was identified or placed in a live container for identification later that day. If the lead surveyor was uncertain of the identification, he would voucher the specimen. The first time a species was captured at a site, we photographed it to establish a photo database. Specimens identified as county records were vouchered. The overall length of the first 5 of each Aeshna species at a site was measured to develop a database. All vouchered specimens were sent to D. Paulson for identification and permanent housing. 2 Table 2. Results of odonate surveys, by survey period and wetland, on the Colville National Forest, Summer 2009. Survey periods: 1 = early summer, 2 = mid-summer, 3 = late summer. Location Scientific name Bunchgrass Meadows Deadman Creek Beaver Ponds Granite Meadows 2-3 2 2-3 3 2-3 1 1-2 1-2 1 1 3 3 3 2-3 2-3 2-3 3 (county record) 2-3 2-3 3 2-3 3 2-3 Lestes congener Lestes disjunctus Lestes dryas Lestes forcipatus Coenagrion interrogatum Coenagrion resolutum Enallagma annexum/cyathigerum* Enallagma boreale Aeshna canadensis Aeshna eremita Aeshna interrupta Aeshna juncea Aeshna palmata Common Name Spotted Spreadwing Common Spreadwing Emerald Spreadwing Sweetflag Spreadwing Subarctic Bluet Taiga Bluet Northern Bluet Boreal Bluet Canada Darner Lake Darner Variable Darner Sedge Darner Paddle-tailed Darner Aeshna sitchensis Zigzag Darner 3 2-3 Aeshna subartica Aeshna tuberculifera Aeshna umbrosa Cordulia shurtleffii Epitheca spinigera Somatoclora minor Somatoclora semicircularis Ladonna julia Leucorrhinia glacialis Leucorrhinia hudsonica Leucorrhinia intacta Leucorrhinia proxima Libellua quadrimaculata Sympetrum costiferum Sympetrum danae Sympetrum obtrusum Sympetrum pallipes Sympetrum semicinctum/occidentale Subarctic Darner Black-tipped Darner Shadow Darner American Emerald Spiny Baskettail Ocellated Emerald Mountain Emerald Chalk-fronted Corporal Crimson-ringed Whiteface Hudsonian Whiteface Dot-tailed Whiteface Red-waisted Whiteface Four-spotted Skimmer Saffron-winged Meadowhawk Black Meadowhawk White-faced Meadowhawk Striped Meadowhawk Western Meadowhawk 3 3 2-3 3 1 3 3 (county record) Hall Ponds 3 2-3 13 3 1 2-3 2-3 2-3 3 Little Davis Lake Davis Lake 3 2 2 2 2 2-3 2-3 2-3 1 1 1-2-3 2-3 2-3 2 2-3 2-3 3 (county record) 2-3 3 3 2 1 2 2 1-2 3 1 1 2-3 2-3 1 1-2-3 1-2 1 1-2-3 1 1 1 1 1-2 3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 1-2 1 1 1 1 1 3 2-3 2 3 2-3 3 3 1-2 1-2 3 * Enallagma annexum/cyathigerum might be E. boreale. 3 RESULTS & DISCUSSION We captured and identified 32 different species of odonates (Table 2). Early season proved the least productive at the high elevation areas (Table 3), though anecdotal observations from lower elevation wetlands indicate that many more species fly earlier at lower elevations than at higher ones. Table 3. Number of species captured, by location and capture session. Location Total # species Bunchgrass Meadows Early summer Mid summer Late summer 4 9 12 Deadman Creek Beaver Ponds 6 7 9 Granite Meadows Hall Ponds Little Davis Lake Davis Lake 7 10 14 9 6 11 Not surveyed 11 10 7 11 8 We captured Aeshna subarctica (pictures in Appendix 1) at 2 new locations (3 know in WA previously) and doubled the number of vouchered specimens from WA. We captured 3 new county records, Aeshna juncea, A. sitchensis, and A. umbrosa. All voucher specimens were sent to D. Paulson. We captured Coenagrion interrogatum from 1 of 2 wetlands from which it is known in WA. We measured overall length of Aeshna males at each site, up to the first 5/site, each survey period and compared these with average lengths of Aeshna species in BC (Cannings 2002) and values for WA (Paulson 1999) (Table 4). The mean lengths of Aeshna species in NEWA tended towards averages from Canada than those from the remainder of WA. All measurements were supplied to D. Paulson. Table 4. Mean values of Aeshna males captured in NEWA compared with those in the remainder of WA and in BC. WA (mm) A. canadensis A. eremita A. interrupta A. juncea A .palmata A .sitchensis A .subarctica A. tuberculifera A. umbrosa BC (mm) Low High Low High 62 69 60 60 65 56 NA* 65 62 68 77 66 66 71 62 NA 71 68 65 71 67 63 68 56 65 69 67 71 79 74 69 76 62 71 77 74 N 9 5 10 4 9 3 5 3 4 NEWA compared with remainder of WA # # # w/in above below +/- 5% +5% -5% 0 1 8 0 2 3 0 4 6 0 0 4 0 9 0 0 2 1 NA NA NA 0 0 3 0 0 4 NEWA compared with BC # # # w/in above below +/- 5% +5% -5% 1 -5% 0 1 4 0 3 7 0 0 4 0 0 9 0 0 3 0 0 4 1 0 3 0 0 4 0 * insufficient number of A. subarctica specimens captured in WA to provide mean. 4 Adults of different species emerge for different flight periods, though we caution against using the flight periods to predict species occurrence yet because of the low number of specimens captured or low number of sites at which they were captured (Table 4). Table 4. Number of sites at which species were captured, by season. Scientific name Common Name # sites Early season Subarctic Bluet 1 Coenagrion interrogatum American Emerald 2 Cordulia shurtleffii Spiny Baskettail 1 Epitheca spinigera Crimson-ringed Whiteface 1 Leucorrhinia glacialis Dot-tailed Whiteface 1 Leucorrhinia intacta Early and Mid season Taiga Bluet 4 Coenagrion resolutum Chalk-fronted Corporal 3 Ladonna julia Hudsonian Whiteface 5 Leucorrhinia hudsonica Red-waisted Whiteface 3 Leucorrhinia proxima Four-spotted Skimmer 6 Libellua quadrimaculata Mid season Boreal Bluet 2 Enallagma boreale Mid and Late season Common Spreadwing 6 Lestes disjunctus Canada Darner 6 Aeshna canadensis Lake Darner 3 Aeshna eremita Variable Darner 6 Aeshna interrupta Sedge Darner 3 Aeshna juncea Paddle-tailed Darner 6 Aeshna palmata Zigzag Darner 3 Aeshna sitchensis Subarctic Darner 4 Aeshna subartica Black-tipped Darner 2 Aeshna tuberculifera Ocellated Emerald 1 Somatoclora minor Black Meadowhawk 4 Sympetrum danae White-faced Meadowhawk 3 Sympetrum obtrusum Late season Spotted Spreadwing 3 Lestes congener Sweetflag Spreadwing 1 Lestes forcipatus Shadow Darner 5 Aeshna umbrosa Saffron-winged Meadowhawk 1 Sympetrum costiferum Striped Meadowhawk 1 Sympetrum pallipes Sympetrum semicinctum/ Western Meadowhawk 1 occidentale All seasons Emerald Spreadwing 3 Lestes dryas Enallagma annexum/ Northern Bluet 4 cyathigerum Mountain Emerald 6 Somatoclora semicircularis 5 The following captures extended the know flight periods for these species in WA: Species Coenagrion interrogatum Aeshna sitchensis A. subarctica Somatochlora minor Date July 3 September 11 September 11 August 31 Location Davis Lake Davis and Little Davis Lakes Davis and Little Davis Lakes Bunchgrass Meadows Records for all species have been supplied to D. Paulson and have been placed in a spreadsheet and will be entered into FAUNA this winter. County records verified by D. Paulson have been uploaded to OdonataCentral (http://www.odonatacentral.org/) Over the next several decades, climate change will affect conditions at wetlands across the globe, and those at higher elevations and latitudes will probably experience the greatest changes. This project is one of many that documents a snapshot in time and provides a baseline against which future work can be compared. LITERATURE CITED Cannings, Robert A. 2002. Introducing the Dragonflies of British Columbia and the Yukon. Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC. 96 pp. Paulson, Dennis. 1999. Dragonflies of Washington. Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle, WA. 32 pp. USDA Forest Service. 2008. Update of the Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species Lists and Transmittal of Strategic Species List. Letter from Regional Forester Linda Goodman to Forest Supervisors, January 31, 2008. 2 pages plus 2 enclosures. 6 Appendix 1. Aeshna subarctica (Subarctic darner), 2009. 7 Appendix 2. Site maps and photos. Bunchgrass Meadows: 213 acres, 5 open water and 208 wet fen. Largest high-elevation wetland on the Colville National Forest. Several species of odonates that are rare in Washington or the lower 48 states have been recorded from this wetland. Two peripheral wetlands of nearly 40 acres to west of main wetlands were not sampled. 17 species recorded. ed 31 T380NR440ES25 0 Unn Un nam d am e ed T380NR450ES30 068 T380NR440ES26 T380NR440ES27 T380NR440ES28 Unnam 13 1 132 133 036 na me d nn U O n 600 Cr T370NR450ES05 T370NR450ES06 T370NR440ES01 601 k ee Tillicum Peak 60 4 4 02 a ot 60 3 800 Un 01 8 ed k am 065 ed nam Un re e yC d T370NR450ES08 023 0 02 067 rv e ed am T370NR440ES02 801 803 T380NR450ES31 T380NR440ES36 Ha 802 me na Unnam ed Un n Un T370NR440ES03 T370NR440ES04 061 804 025 6 02 026 Un d le C r ee k 70 3 Un me na T370NR440ES16 T370NR450ES18 702 T370NR440ES13 70 0 T370NR440ES14 T370NR440ES15 Molybdenite Mtn d me na Un 701 4 70 g Ju n T370NR450ES07 028 4 -03 .4L 1935 02 805 T370NR440ES12 T370NR440ES11 T370NR440ES10 na me d T370NR440ES09 071 T380NR440ES35 T380NR440ES34 T380NR440ES33 Unnam ed 9 02 030 d mo nd F or k na me Un T370NR440ES26 Un 504 Dia nch L e T370NR450ES19 Bunchgrass Meadows na Monumental Mtn me d T370NR440ES25 T370NR440ES35 T370NR450ES30 3 50 2 50 1935 T370NR440ES27 West Bra Unnamed 5 554 55 T370NR440ES24 T370NR440ES23 501 553 k 50 0 re e nC Unnamed co Unnamed u Sa C le rc C T370NR440ES22 T370NR440ES21 T370NR440ES28 045 T370NR440ES29 ree k Bunchgrass Lake T370NR440ES36 T370NR450ES31 8 Bunchgrass Meadows. Photo 1 by Tom Munson, Photo 2 by Rick Moore. 9 ed nam Unnamed Un 60 0 ed nam na me d Un 100 ed 155 Unnam ed Unnamed am Un na me na me d Unna d m ed am e Unnam d ed 300 32 0 Un n Un nn am e d Unn am e d U nam Un C2 80 am e d Unnam ed Unnamed Unna m ed Unnam ed 462 T350NR340ES19 am e d Unn nam Unnam ed 614 Un T350NR340ES16 T350NR340ES15 T350NR340ES17 Unnam ed Un nam Granite Mtn T350NR340ES20 ed n Un ed Unnamed am ed Unnam T350NR340ES21 T350NR340ES22 d Un n a m ed na 600 me d Unnam e 820 Unnamed ed d na me Unnamed 950 47 3 ed Un Un Hall Ponds Un T350NR330ES25 997 T350NR340ES09 T350NR340ES10 62 0 d me na T350NR340ES30 d am e T350NR330ES24 616 T350NR340ES08 610 U nn am e d 183 Unnamed Unn 310 d na me Un ed ed Unnam na m Un 010 Unnam ed am e d Un n Un am e d Un n am e d Un n nam Un C23 3 am e d am ed Unn U nn 020 T360NR340ES34 340 d ed Unnamed d am e Unnam ed 300 Un Unnam nam e d Un ed nam ed Un Un na nam m ed ed 030 3 03 m ed Unn a 187 T350NR340ES04 T350NR340ES03 Unn 1 32 T350NR330ES23 T360NR340ES27 330 800 100 U me na T350NR340ES18 Bear Mtn am nn Un Unnamed d am e ed na me d m ile Nine k C r ee Un n 980 T350NR330ES13 T350NR330ES14 d Edds Mtn T350NR340ES07 41 0 Un Unnamed d Unnam T350NR330ES12 d m ed Un n a me na 54 20 Un 205 5 me na Iron Mtn 450 3 205 010 5 95 T350NR330ES11 210 me na 956 d T360NR340ES22 0 40 m ed Unna e am T360NR340ES33 T350NR340ES05 T350NR340ES06 050 20 40 Mt Washington 16 7 0 25 Unnamed 290 ed 197 100 T360NR340ES32 Un d me na 470 Unnam ed 114 ed Un ed nam T350NR330ES01 46 0 T350NR330ES02 T360NR340ES31 ed Unnam Un T360NR340ES28 Cre ek 200 d 11 0 nam rk O 'Brien Unnam ed 6 11 ed 0 01 Un am ed d am e Un 113 ed U nn U nn South Fo me nn a T360NR340ES21 T360NR340ES29 T360NR340ES30 T360NR330ES36 na me d C28 3 11 5 02 0 ed U Murphy Hill T360NR330ES25 T360NR330ES35 n Un ed nam T360NR340ES15 T360NR340ES16 ed Unnam nam 010 T360NR330ES26 nam Un T360NR340ES20 Unnam Un Un 2053 C 99 Un Unnam ed ed d am e ed Unnam North Fork O'Brien Creek Unnam -20 WA T360NR340ES17 20 O P T360NR340ES19 T360NR330ES24 Unn T360NR330ES23 Unnamed m ed Unna Unnam ed 040 T360NR340ES18 T360NR330ES13 T360NR330ES14 05 5 Unnam ed U nn nam U nn Un ed Hall Ponds: 13 acres, 5 open water and 8 floating bog or wet meadow. By far the greatest diversity of odonates in 2009: 29 species. T350NR340ES29 T350NR340ES28 10 Hall Ponds. Photo by Rick Moore 11 Davis Lake: 19 acres, 15 open water and 4 floating sphagnum bog. Two species of odonates were first recorded in WA at this site. 2009 county record of Aeshna sitchensis caught. 17 species recorded. Little Davis Lake: 7 acres, 2 open water and 5 wetland/upland. Beaver-created. Grassy upland increases diversity of Sympetrum compared to nearby Davis Lake. 16 species recorded. Renner Lake son C Hodg 0 72 Little Davis Lake Un n T380NR360ES26 T380NR360ES27 d T380NR370ES29 T380NR370ES30 T380NR360ES25 Un d am e Kettle River nam ed Unnam ed Un nam Unnamed Davis Lake r ee k Unnam e ed am nn am U d na me nn T380NR370ES20 T380NR370ES19 72 5 Un 705 U ed er Kettle Riv Unnam ed T380NR360ES24 T380NR360ES23 T380NR360ES22 Kettle River ed Unnam ed 714 3 76 Doyle C ed Unnamed m na m ed Unna 058 Un US-3 95 Unnamed C48 0 T370NR370ES08 T370NR370ES07 020 150 re ek am e d mp C T370NR360ES12 m ed Unn a C467 Unnam ed Un n Kettle River a Tie C 747 762 759 76 5 080 702 Unnamed 739 ed Unnamed Unnamed am ed ek Boyds T370NR360ES14 T370NR360ES15 744 757 749 Unnam 225 160 Unn 710 755 0 23 65 C4 U nn n Cr e T370NR370ES05 T370NR370ES06 T370NR360ES01 T370NR360ES02 T370NR360ES11 T370NR360ES10 Matse am e d 0 27 T370NR360ES03 140 £ ¤395 ree k 1 71 260 Davis Lake T380NR370ES32 59 2 T380NR370ES31 T380NR360ES36 T380NR360ES35 T380NR360ES34 T370NR370ES17 T370NR370ES18 T370NR360ES13 C460 ed 305 ed T370NR360ES23 Un T370NR360ES25 T370NR370ES30 ek C re T370NR360ES26 T370NR370ES20 T370NR370ES19 ty Ka 1 36 T370NR360ES27 d am e ed Un n nam 65 95 0 36 T370NR360ES24 Unnamed T370NR360ES22 Unnam nam d me na Un Un Deadman Creek 054 C470 T370NR370ES29 12 Davis Lake. Photo by Rick Moore 13 Deadman Beaver Ponds: 6 acres, 1 open water and 5 wet meadow. Beaver-created. Highest-elevation wetland sampled in 2009. 2009 county records of Aeshna umbrosa and A. juncea caught. Lowest diversity of odonates in 2009: 14 species recorded. Un Un nam me na ed T370NR340ES25 T370NR340ES26 T370NR350ES29 T370NR350ES30 d m ed Unna m Ca Deadman Beaver Ponds p Wapaloosie Mtn Cr k ee 060 0 70 U nn T370NR350ES31 T370NR340ES36 T370NR340ES35 d am e U 9565 T370NR350ES32 nn k re e ed nC am De a adm Unn d am e Un Albian Hill ed T360NR350ES03 Un T360NR350ES04 T360NR350ES05 T360NR350ES06 nam d na m 2030 051 ed McG S h er m an C k C re e ree k ahe e T360NR350ES10 T360NR350ES09 ed 466 T360NR350ES08 No r t h T360NR350ES07 F ork 055 464 0 47 Unnam 20 AW 453 P O 480 20 Sh 45 2 T360NR350ES16 5 42 T360NR350ES15 am ed T360NR350ES17 k re e nC 5 47 0 202 nn T360NR350ES18 a e rm U Un me na 14 Deadman Beaver Ponds. Photo by Rick Moore 15 Granite Meadows: 42 acres, 6 open water and 36 wet meadow and dry uplands. Beavercreated. Greatest diversity of Aeshna species (9). 20 species recorded. 50 5 350 am e d 20 O P 0 52 513 Unn Unnamed 6 50 20 AW Lake Leo T360NR420ES03 T360NR420ES01 T360NR420ES02 T360NR420ES04 d na me Un Un d me na na m ed Un U nn am ed ed Unnam ed Unnam 7 98 C4 T360NR420ES11 T360NR420ES10 T360NR420ES09 010 Unnamed 27 12 Unnamed nam Un 03 0 Granite Meadows ed Unn d am e d am e am ed T360NR420ES25 Unn T360NR420ES26 Unn Unnam ed 040 214 Unnam ed nam ed Un nam d am e Un Unn ed am e d Unnam T360NR420ES27 m ed U nn a South Fork Lost Cre ek am e d T360NR420ES24 T360NR420ES23 Unnamed Unnam ed d am e U nn ed Unnamed Unnam ed d am e Unn na me d ed ed T360NR420ES22 Unn nam Unnam Unn U am nn T360NR420ES21 Un ed T360NR420ES14 020 033 T360NR420ES28 am ed m ed Unna am ed nn T360NR420ES13 Un T360NR420ES15 T360NR420ES16 Un n d me na U Unnam ed Unnamed Un n am e d Unnam ed Unnam ed Un Gillette Creek ed nam Un T360NR420ES12 16 Granite Meadows. Photo by Rick Moore 17