Saddlebags

April 29, 2024

We had off and on again rain yesterday that was heavy at times, so I decided to check the vegetables that are now in the ground.  I was surprised as I approached my raised beds to see all three of my melons (a Citrullus lanatus watermelon and two Cucumis melo cantaloupe) had sprouted and were about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the ground.  I have not had good luck growing these in the past and had hoped the beds would make a difference.  My seeded tomatoes are still struggling for the most part and I will need to replace one of my Cherokee purples and another red beefsteak (both Solanum lycopersicum varieties).  On my way past the pool, I noticed what I thought was another dragonfly molt (exuviae).  After checking on my vegetables, I came back and gave the motionless blob a closer inspection.  Rather than being a discarded exoskeleton it was a live dragonfly trying to dry out after the rain.  Now I believe I can discern the species of the molts I saw last week.  This adult dragonfly is a black saddlebags.      

When I looked online, I found the black saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) is a species of skimmer dragonfly found throughout North America.  The skimmers or perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest dragonfly family in the world.  Their common classification as skimmers comes as they tend to fly low over the water, and perchers comes as they spend most of their time perched above the water and only fly to get to the next spot, to catch food, or to defend territory.  The saddlebags have distinctive wings with characteristic black blotches at their proximal (toward the body) ends which make the dragonfly look as though it is wearing saddlebags.  The species is a relatively large dragonfly at about 2 inches (5 cm) in length.  The body is thin and black, and the female may have lighter spotting or mottling dorsally.  The head is much wider than the rest of the body and is dark brown in color.  The insect can be found near bodies of stagnant water, such as ponds and ditches (or my pool/pond).  The larvae hatch and eat anything they can catch that is smaller than themselves.  Adults of the species (especially males) congregate in swarms and some populations undertake migrations.

There are over 60 species of mosquitoes in Arkansas, even though not all of them transmit diseases.  The species commonly associated with disease transmission in Arkansas include the Southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus), the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), and the Yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti).  Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and they can lay their eggs in as little as a teaspoon of water.  Common breeding sites include stagnant ponds, bird baths, and gutters.  Female mosquitoes lay their eggs on the surface of the water, the larvae hatch within a few days, and the entire mosquito life cycle can be as short as 7-10 days.  I try to be cautious about leaving standing water on the patio or in my garden but have never worried about my pool/pond. 

Both the larvae and adult forms of the saddlebags are efficient mosquito predators and are helpful insects to control my water.  I also noticed this morning the gray tree frogs (Hyla versicolor) eggs have hatched, and the water is teaming with tadpoles.  Mama’s got to eat.

THOUGHTS:  I identified the black saddlebags using my google app.  While this app is generally effective, it also provides some off the wall identifications.  The pictures under the identification showed sets of black motorcycle saddlebags.  I ran the ID again and returned the same result.  Then I scrolled down and saw it included pictures and explanation for the dragonfly as well.  There are times when we “know” the experts are wrong and dismiss their advice.  While mistakes occur, often we just need to dig deeper into what is said or meant.  An educated opinion is more reliable than a best guess.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.