The Canyon Rubyspot, Hetaerina vulnerata, in Arizona is normally found at elevations exceeding 850 m (Richard Bailowitz, personal communication). In October 2010, however, several individuals were observed at an usually low elevation (680 m) at Spur Cross Conservation Area, Maricopa (see related News page).
On 16 November 2010 Richard Bailowitz discovered two mature male Neotropical Bluets, Enallagma novaehispaniae, at an artificial pond in an agricultural area along the Painted Rock Dam in western Maricopa County, and collected one of these individuals.
One male (presumably the same individual as seen 16 Nov.) was relocated the next day at the same spot and photographed.
The Neotropical Bluet is found South of Arizona in Sonora, Mexico and in Texas, but had until now never been observed in Arizona.
The Tezpi Dancer, Argia tezpi, in Arizona is usually found at rocky shallow streams and rivers in the Southeast corner of the state (Paulson 2009). It has been found as far north as Kelvin Bridge, Pinal, along the Gila River approx. 65 miles E. of Phoenix, Maricopa.
On 10 November 2010 a mature male was observed along the Wild Horse Pass stream just south of Phoenix, apparently providing a first county record for the species. What is probably the same individual was found at the same location on 14 November 2010
Canyon Rubyspots, Hetaerina vulnerata, in Arizona are usually found along wooded canyon streams (Paulson 2009) and at elevations above 850 m (Bailowitz, personal communication). Several individuals were, however, recently observed at Spur Cross Conservation Area, Maricopa (elevation: 680 m; see 24 Oct. 2010 News item), the lowest elevation to date at which the species has been recorded in the state.
The Striped Meadowhawk, Sympetrum pallipes, in Arizona is usually found at middle to high elevations and is known to fly from June to October (Paulson 2009). On 7 November 2010 a mature male was found at Kelvin Bridge along the Gila River (elevation: 536 m). This observation provides a new late flying date for the species in the state.
Two forktail species, the Rambur’s (Ischnura ramburii) and the Desert (I. barberi) Forktails are commonly found in the southern half of Arizona (Paulson 2009). The two species use various habitats including ponds, lakes, marshes, etc, and they are often encountered at a same site. Despite this similarity in habitat choice, the Rambur’s and Desert Forktails have different phenologies: the Rambur’s Forktail in Arizona flies year-round whereas the Desert Forktail is normally not seen flying between November and early February.
