Events

Natural History of Odonata: Dragonflies & Damselflies
Photo by Marla Garrison

With ancestors dating back over 300 million years, a time when dragonfly-like creatures with two and a half foot wingspans ruled the air, the insect order Odonata is an ancient one and continues to captivate us.  Today these successful aquatic insects represent a diverse group of carnivores with a complex life cycle. The 100 plus species known from Illinois can be excellent wetland indicators and are truly fascinating to observe. Experience an image intensive, up-close and personal presentation of this intriguing, and visually splendid, group of insects. Through macro and micro photography, come explore the captivating world of local dragonfly and damselfly fauna including their anatomy, life history, behaviors and diversity.

Marla Garrison  is a biology faculty member at McHenry County College. She sits on the Executive Council of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas and is the author of Damselflies of Chicagoland, a local area field guide available online for free download through Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History http://fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org/guides/guide/388 . She conducts field studies and surveys in McHenry County and throughout the state of Illinois.