People try their luck at catching dragonflies during the Dragonfly Day event at Creamer’s Field in Fairbanks. June 21, 2008. Photo by Bob Armstrong.

John Hudson helps biologists identify a dragonfly during a Fairbanks training session. FWS photo by Lisa Saperstein.

A close-up view of a Four-spotted Skimmer, Alaska’s state insect. June 21, 2008. Photo by Joanna Fox.

The Kennedy’s Emerald, a new species record for Alaska. June 22, 2008. Photo by Bob Armstrong.

Children and adults from Alaskan communities got to learn about dragonflies June 19^th  through the 26^th  thanks to Kanuti Refuge staff, numerous partners and volunteers.  John Hudson and Bob Armstrong, co-authors of the field guide “Dragonflies of Alaska” and children’s book “Dragons in the Pond,” headlined the “dragonfly road show.” The purpose of their trip to interior Alaska was threefold:  to teach the ecology of dragonflies and foster an appreciation of these beautiful insects; collect dragonflies to increase our knowledge of species distribution; and teach biologists to identify  dragonflies so as to document species at their study sites. Kanuti Refuge and Fort Greely hold Alaska records for dragonfly species (20 each) but most areas are not surveyed; it’s hoped that this project will enable others to document species.

Hudson and Armstrong spent two days in Fairbanks training people to collect and identify dragonflies, including biologists from Kanuti, Arctic, and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuges, University of Alaska, Friends of Creamer’s Field, Alaska Bird Observatory, Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges, Fountainhead Development, and an independent naturalist.  An evening talk at the University Museum drew 30 residents and tourists alike.  The crowning event for Fairbanks was “Dragonfly Day” at Creamer’s Field, a popular bird watching area.  Co-hosted by the non-profit Friends of Creamer’s Field, some 300 people enjoyed dragonfly walks, displays about dragonflies and wetlands, children’s activities, and vendors selling dragonfly artwork.  Three dragonfly-collecting walks attracted some 150 people.  Nets enabled participants to catch up to five species of dragonflies and one species of damselfly.  Dragonflies can be caught, carefully handled, and released unharmed, providing a unique opportunity to for a close-up view of them.

After “Dragonfly Day” and other Fairbanks events, Hudson and Armstrong drove three hours south to Tok to teach identification skills to the staff of Tetlin Refuge, lead a dragonfly walk, and give a public presentation.  They visited ponds en route, and during one stop captured a new species for Alaska – “Kennedy’s Emerald. “ From Tok, they headed back through Fairbanks to Coldfoot with Kanuti Refuge staff, stopping to collect additional dragonfly specimens en route. Weather cancelled the planned dragonfly walk at the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center but some 80 people, mostly tourists, attended Hudson and Armstrong's evening talks at the center.

Kanuti Refuge’s first annual “Dragonfly Day” activities were wildly successful and plans are underway for next year’s event. Hudson calls interior Alaska “the frontier of dragonfly research” and hopes to return with Armstrong to continue this citizen-science effort to document dragonfly diversity and distribution.