Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey
Phase II Protocol
Objectives
Phase II of the Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly survey MDDS) will focus on
limited, selective sampling by interested, experienced volunteers who will
continue to add additional detail to the states odonate database.
Sampling effort over the past five years has been sufficient to reduce
the need for continued, exhaustive sampling of frequently visited sites with the
resulting submission of hundreds of vouchers of commonly occurring species each
season. During Phase II, volunteers
will be encouraged to submit vouchers for adult animals for only the
following types of records:
1) New county/bioregion/state
records
2) New earliest/latest flight date records
3) Rare, Threatened, and Species of Special Concern
4) All species from newly established sites
5) Under-represented habitats (large rivers and small (headwater)
streams, peatlands (bogs and fens), smaller fishless ponds, and salt marshes)
6) Geographic sites that were under-sampled during Phase I of MDDS
a) Counties (
b)
Biophysical regions (
Methods
Volunteers are encouraged to employ their familiarity with odonates in order
to meet the more selective Phase II objectives.
Selective sampling will require the ability to make reliable, in-hand
determinations in the field in order to make the determination of whether or not
to collect a voucher specimen. The
decision to sample in any geographic area will necessitate that volunteers be
familiar with the locations of sites in that area already extensively sampled in
Phase I, sites that fall into one of several under-sampled categories, and sites
that may be unique because of previously reported rare species or Species of
Special Concern. Site description
and site visit forms will be filled out as per previously established MDDS
protocols, and vouchered specimens will be curated as before and submitted with
MDDS specimen cards.
Image
and Specimen Vouchers
It will be acceptable to submit digital images or photographs of specimens
in-hand as vouchers for some of the larger, conspicuous species (certain
Libellulids, Anax junius, Didymops transversa, etc).
However, image vouchers must clearly show key identification features to
be accepted into the database. Specimen vouchers are still required for all
Zygoptera, most Aeschnidae, most Gomphididae, Corduliidae, most female
specimens, and any specimen that requires microscopic examination to determine
species identification.
Voucher
Submissions
In the fall of each year, vouchers, site description forms, and site visit
forms may be mailed to Ron Butler at:
Dept. of Natural Sciences
Alternatively, material can be hand delivered to Ron Butler
at UMF or Phillip deMaynadier at MDIFW in
Specimen
Identification
Ron Butler will provide determinations/verifications for material forwarded
by volunteers. Questionable
specimens will be forwarded to Paul Brunelle for final verification.
Data
Entry
Data associated with site descriptions and visits will be entered into a
database housed at UMF by Ron Butler, with copies to be sent annually to MDIFW.
Data will also be forwarded to Paul Brunelle for incorporation into his
database.
Website
The MDDS website will be updated periodically by Ron Butler to keep Phase II
volunteers apprised of changes in county, biophysical region, and flight period
data. Announcements, questions,
preliminary feedback concerning sampling trends, etc. will be facilitated by a
revised MDDS listserve.
Questions/Information
MDDS Phase II volunteers are encouraged to contact Ron Butler with questions
concerning the establishment of new sample sites, methods, species IDs, etc.
Ron will also be the contact for forms and specimen envelopes.