Overview

Welcome

The Minnesota Dragonfly Society (MDS) is excited to host the 2018 DSA meeting and showcase Minnesota’s 150 species of odonates! Minnesota’s North Woods offers some of the best intact peatlands in the lower 48 states. These relatively flat and continuously saturated landforms include raised bogs, patterned peatlands, ribbed fens, numerous creeks, bog lakes, internal water tracks and calcareous fens. The peatlands in northeastern Minnesota are an important watershed for Lake Superior, providing numerous habitats that are mostly unaltered by humans. This landscape sets the stage for the highest odonate diversity in MN including: 11 species of Somatochlora – most notably the Somatochlora brevicincta (Quebec Emerald) and 15 species of Darners including Aeshna subarctica (Subarctic Darner), A. sitchensis (Zig-zag Darner) and Boyeria graffiana (Ocellated Darner) to name a few. (see Resources for a complete Minnesota species list from Odonata Central).

Pre-meeting Field Trips

The pre-meeting trips are scheduled for 10-12 July 2018. We will start out in the Minneapolis area with our home base hotel being the AmericInn of Mounds View, MN on 10 and 11 July. Folks attending the pre-meeting field trips would fly into Minneapolis and check into the hotel on Monday, 9 July and book Tuesday night, 10 July as well.

Tuesday, 10 July – Warner Nature Center

Tuesday, 10 July pre-meeting trip will be to Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center in Marine on St. Croix, MN. Attendees will have the opportunity to see over 100 species of odonates at three different locations in and around Warner. Several uncommon to rare species of Odonata are known to occur at Warner. The most northwestern breeding population of Rhionaeschna mutata (Spatterdock Darner) is found at one of many wooded bog ponds at Warner. Arigomphus furcifer (Lilypad Clubtail), Cordulegaster obliqua (Arrowhead Spiketail) and Amphiagrion abbreviatum (Western Red Damsel) are also found in and around the 835 acre property.

Wednesday, 11 July – Eastman Nature Center, Mississippi River, & Travel to Wolf Ridge

Eastman Nature Center is located in Champlin, MN near the Mississippi River and owned by Three Rivers Park District. This 5300 acre property is home to Somatochlora ensigera (Plains Emerald). Also, during the afternoon field trip, will have the opportunity to see big river odonates at the Mississippi River such as Sylurus notatus (Elusive Clubtail), S. plagiatus (Russet-tipped Clubtail) and Neurocordulia molesta (Smoky Shadowdragon).

Alternatively, you can skip one or both organized field trips and take your time exploring during the 4-hour drive north to Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center – we have come up with some suggested sites to look for odonate species that we may not see during the main meeting. This is on your own and could take all day.

Travel to Wolf Ridge ELC in Finland, Mn. Check in at Wolf Ridge begins at 4:00pm. Dinner will be provided if you arrive before 5:15pm. Conference attendees are invited to meet at Wolf Ridge at 7:00pm on Wednesday, 11 July for a welcome and introductions.

Thursday, 12 July – Sand Lake Peatland SNA

The last day of the pre-meeting trips will be on Thursday, 12 July at Sand Lake Peatland SNA in Lake County. This site alone contains almost all of Minnesota’s species of Somatochlora including S. walshii, S. forcipata, S. williamsoni, S. franklini, S. minor, S. cingulata, and S. kennedyi. We will also visit the old logging-era townsite of McNair, the site of the type locality of Nabakov’s [northern] blue butterfly (Plebejus idas nabokovi), which depends on dwarf billberry leaves, a relatively rare plant in the area.

Main Meeting

The main meeting will be based out of Wolf Ridge ELC in Finland, MN. The dates for the main meeting are 13 - 15July and will include two days of field trips. Each day will offer an easier and a more difficult trip.

Founded in 1971, Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center is the first environmental learning center in the nation to be accredited as a K-12 school and is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in environmental education.

We will be using the recently constructed Margaret A Cargill lodge (MAC Lodge) which has been built to Living Building Challenge Standards. LBC is the new international sustainability certification system and consists of earning seven Petals – site, water, energy, health, materials, equity and beauty.

Friday, 13 July

Lake County Field Trip

The Friday, 13 July field trips will focus on finding the Quebec Emerald (Somatochlora brevicincta) at known breeding sites in Lake County. We will visit some of the best intact peatland habitats Minnesota has to offer. Other species include numerous species of Somatochlora, Stylogomphus albistylus (eastern least clubtail), and Leucorrhinia glacialis (Crimson-ringed Whiteface).

Kurt Mead Lecture

Kurt Mead will be speaking on the geology and natural history of the North Shore on Friday 13 July at 7:00PM at Wolf Ridge.

Saturday, 14 July – Main Meeting at Wolf Ridge

The main meeting will include business meeting, presentations, banquet, and silent auction.

Sunday, 15 July – Sax-zim Bog Field Trip

On Sunday, 15 July the field trip will be at the Sax-zim bog where folks will not only have the chance to see a large variety of odonates, but some of the other recorded flora and fauna which include: 14 species of orchid, 18 species of nesting warblers, 5 species of nesting owls and 60 species of butterflies! (species lists of butterflies and odonates for Sax-zim bog are included on the Main Meeting Field Trips page. )

Post-meeting Field Trips

The post meeting field trips are scheduled for Monday, 16 July and the morning of Tuesday, 17 July.

Monday, 16 July -- Cramer Road/Temperance Loop

Heading northeast out of Finland, MN, the Cramer Road (aka Lake County Road 7) is a popular entryway into the Superior National Forest and it allows access to innumerable lakes, wetlands, and streams. After a few stops along the route, we’ll spend some time around Harriet Lake and the large open meadow adjacent to it. From Harriet Lake there is quick access to a nearby fen with lots of water tracks, several other lakes, swift-flowing smaller streams, and a flooded gravel pit. We’ll also be just a few minutes’ drive from the Trestle Inn, a really funky, rustic, North Woods bar and restaurant. This field trip will offer a good diversity of odonates including Boyeria vinosa (fawn darner), Hagenius brevistylus (dragonhunter), and Coenagrion interrogatum (subarctic bluet).

Tuesday, 17 July

This is to be determined. We may see what folks haven’t seen and would like to focus on for species to determine the sites. The sites will probably be close to Wolf Ridge since folks will be leaving on Tuesday.