Where are all my odes?
So far, this has been an incredibly dry and hot summer, but that hasn't necessarily stopped the dragonflies from showing up in the past. This is Texas, it's always hot and usually dry, unless it's flooded. This summer, however, I feel like I'm seeing fewer species of dragonflies (and almost no butterflies- where are those guys?) and fewer numbers of the species I am seeing. Usually, on my favorite trails, there are plenty of eastern pondhawks and common whitetails; this year, I'm seeing them but not as many. I've only seen one or two roseate skimmers since the February 2021 Snowmageddon. The spring plains clubtails definitely weren't as plentiful as they've been in the past.
Don't get me wrong; I'm still finding some great dragonflies- a flame skimmer several weeks ago, common sanddragons in a hidden stream in a little suburban pond/fishing spot, some lovely cobra clubtails. A few days ago I found a gorgeous regal darner that basically flew up in front of me and settled nicely for the camera. But it seems like this year the dragonflies are later to appear and there are fewer of them.
Is it me? Am I imagining something that isn't there? Is it the drought? The heat (I don't think it's the heat)? Is it a lingering effect of the legendary February 2021 Icemageddon, or the not quite as legendary but still very cold (for this Texan, anyway) 2022 Icemageddon? Am I losing my dragonfly hunting skills, such as they are? I will admit that my vision isn't quite what it was a decade ago. I hope this isn't a sign of summers to come.