Keeping Track of Winged Jewels: The Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey

Phillip deMaynadier and Paul M. Brunelle

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

 

Abstract:

The Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey (MDDS) was initiated in 1999 with support from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. MDDS is a multi-year, citizen-scientist atlasing initiative designed to improve the Department’s knowledge of the distribution and status of odonates statewide. In addition to engaging nearly 250 of Maine ’s non-game wildlife constituents and raising public awareness of invertebrate conservation, the MDDS has helped the Department more accurately assess the status of rare, threatened, and endangered odonates. To our knowledge, the MDDS is among the first completely state-sponsored dragonfly atlasing projects of its kind in North America . Having recently completed its fifth and final field season, the survey’s results have exceeded initial expectations and are best summarized by the following:

1.     Outreach Contributions:

Ø     Volunteer participation statewide: 250+

Ø     Volunteers trained in MDDS seminars: 95

Ø     Newsletters published (“Mainensis”): 4

Ø     Major press articles covering the project: 5

Ø     Website hits (http://mdds.umf.maine.edu/~odonata/): >10,000

2.     Scientific Contributions:

Ø     New U.S. species records: 1

Ø     New state species records: 8

Ø     New Rare, Threatened, and Endangered species records: 819

Ø     Total records submitted (% increase over 1999 baseline): 13,794 (187%)

 

 

Biography: Phillip deMaynadier is a biologist in the Endangered Species Group of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Phillip’s primary topical responsibilities include amphibians, reptiles, Odonata, Lepidoptera, vernal pools, and state endangered species policy. Phillip received his doctorate in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine in 1996 where he studied the effects of forest management on amphibians.

 

Contact Info: Phillip deMaynadier, Endangered Species Group, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 650 State Street , Bangor , Maine 04401 . Email: Phillip.deMaynadier@maine.gov

Paul-Michael Brunelle, B.Des., FGDC, 6044-1 Compton Avenue, Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada , B3K 1E7. Email: as849@chebucto.ns.ca