April 18, 2008 - A few odds and ends before I begin my dragonfly year.


Our second son was born right before Thanksgiving so this past winter was spent adjusting to life with two kids. I did not look at a dragonfly or pick up a pen until January so I have not gotten as much done on the book as I had hoped. I worked on my illustration techniques and tried using some of the reference material I have gathered. I also wanted to see if I could piece together illustrations from other sources, something I am definitely going to have to do on this project. Of course, better quality reference material produced a better illustration.


Here are some samples: Gomphus ventricosus, Arigomphus submedianus, Aphylla angustifolia

 

Pictures sent to me.
Self-serving picture no. 1:

Sue Olcott, leader of the West Virginia Odonata Atlas project, sent this picture of the participants of a March odonate identification workshop posing with my book.

Pictures of me sent to me.
(Entirely self-serving, there's a goofy picture of me holding an Ebony Jewelwing that pops up on Google that I'm hoping these somehow replace.)
Dave Halstead sent this picture of me wading in Canero Lake during the 2007 DSA annual meeting. I remember the water being pretty chilly that day and I had a hard time getting near the Variable Darners, Aeshna interrupta interna that were flying around.
Kristine Wallstrom took this picture of me lost in tall grass while looking for mosaic darners in August 2006. We had some Aeshna constricta that day.

Tom Fiore sent this picture of me near Webbs Mill Bog in the New Jersey pine barrens. This was early 2007 and I was just starting to collect for the book. I'm staring out over a good looking stream but with NOTHING flying on it. We didn't find very much that day so the image was not very comforting at the time.

 

Finally a picture I composed during a quiet moment at Sweetwater Creek, near Tallahassee, Florida. It is one of my favorite spots. I've found many species there including Twin-striped Clubtail and Alabama Shadowdragon but you have to be wary of the quicksand.

Ed Lam Dragonfly Road