PS 22-36 - Rediscovering Illinois dragonflies and damselflies

Abstract: Despite their contributions to ecosystem services and substantial amount of biodiversity, invertebrates are a largely understudied taxon. It can be difficult to allocate conservation resources to species without knowledge of their abundances and distributions throughout a region. Conducting an in-depth assessment of the conservation status of a diverse taxon group at the state level can be one way to address this lack of conservation management for invertebrates. Odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) are a charismatic order of insects that can be easily identified by their large eyes, tiny antennae, chewing mouthparts, and well-developed wing muscles. The odonate life cycle spans aquatic and terrestrial habitats where they play key functional roles in their environments. They are important predators and prey in both life cycle stages as well as vulnerable to the environmental threats impacting both freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. However, the status of odonate populations in Illinois is poorly understood especially in regions outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. The objectives of our study were to 1) assemble historical and contemporary records of odonates in Illinois; 2) identify locations and habitats that are under-sampled; and 3) conduct odonate field sampling and surveys in underrepresented regions of Illinois. Preliminary results showed that the regions of northwest, central, and southern Illinois are under-sampled for odonates. Using the historical and contemporary records, we generated data maps for 27 odonate species. In the field, we sampled 14 unique sites across southern Illinois. We captured 37 adult odonates and 198 larval odonates across the 14 sites. Identifying data gaps in species accounts are needed to develop in-depth state and regional wildlife management plans for odonates. Our findings will contribute to a better understanding of the ecology and conservation of odonates in Illinois streams and wetlands.