Halloween pennant dragonfly

Hi Matthew,
Yes, those plywood boards are part of a herp census. We've placed them in areas along the meadows and wetland. Hopefully it'll warm up soon so I can find some snakes. Though the vernal pools are yielding some lovely finds! I'll try to get pictures next week to share them.

That's one weird looking snake! I'd love to see and/or photograph one, and so would Louisa (one of my Project Noah photowalking friends) -- Louisa loves snakes! I think we need a guide to find this elusive snake. Perhaps we can meet at the park when you plan to be there and snakes are active. Walter Sanford, a.k.a., "Geodialist" wsanford@wsanford.com

Are those your 3/4" plywood boards with the white numbers on them around the park? I have seen number 7 and number 4 in the last couple of days. I didn't disturb them. I assumed they were part of a herp study.

My main research (for my master's) is on habitat selection in the eastern worm snake. I'm also helping out with mapping biodiversity in the vernal pools and starting a frog call survey program. So I'm lucky enough to have many excuses to spend a lot of time at HMP!

You piqued my curiosity -- what are you researching?

Great find. Everyone at Huntley Meadows is abuzz about this dragonfly. Thank you for adding it to Arthropods of Fairfax,Va

Yes, it was in the big meadow on the left (closest to the parking lot) which borders the paved trail, before you hit the pond loop trail. I spend most of my time off-trail in the park (since I do research there), so I take a lot of pictures in random places in the forest, but luckily that one was right on the trail!

I have spotted/photo'd dragonflies in several meadows along the "Hike-Bike Trail" at Huntley Meadows Park. Heading inbound from the parking lot (walking toward the observation deck), here are the main meadows with which I'm familiar: there is a big meadow on the left that was formerly an orchard; there are several interconnected meadows that can be accessed by following one or more grassy roads on the right; and finally, there are several interconnected meadows that can be accessed by following a grassy trail on the left, just before the observation deck. All good places for spotting female dragonflies seeking refuge from pesty males! Did you spot the Halloween Pennant in one of the meadows I mentioned?

Hi Geodialist,
I found this one in the larger meadow that edges the hike-bike trail on the north side of the park. Do you know where I'm talking about? It was quite far from the main wetland. I actually took the picture from the trail itself, so the dragonfly was right on the edge of the meadow.

Great catch! I haven't seen a single Halloween Pennant dragonfly at Huntley Meadows Park in two years. Can you tell me exactly where you spotted the dragonfly?