Target: Dragonflies—especially as indicators of water quality.- Importance to Food & Agr: Prey on mosquitoes, midges, and biting flies that can affect livestock as well as humans, but also a good indicator of water quality including mercury. Because they are mobile and like warmth, they are indicators of climate changes as well.
- Issues: Impacted by loss of wetlands, poor water quality, and pesticides—all associated with industrial agriculture.
- Observing Options: Types, arrival and departure dates for migrating species, emergence in spring for resident populations, and occurrence of swarms (due to unknown causes).
- Citizen Science: Odonata Central has a fairly technical citizen science observing app for your phone or you can go to iNaturalist’s Observations page and select dragonflies and your location or state to see photos of what species have been observed in your area, and you can use their app for submitting your photos and getting help with identifying your dragonfly.
- Additional Resources: More background info at websites above.
Healthy Community Food Systems
Healthy Land, Healthy Food, Healthy People
Being Proactive—as a Community—About Climate Change in our Local Food Systems and Foodsheds
Fickle Monsoons, Summer in March, and Hot Summer Nights: Climate change is here, has been seriously affecting local agriculture, and will certainly get worse. It will take some serious effort to adjust our local food production and local food systems to the extent needed, so why not ramp up efforts now to adapt and help […]