At one point in everyone’s life in Florida, they have seen the insect called a dragonfly, which are characterized by long bodies, large multifaceted eyes, and two pairs of strong transparent wings.
.jpg)
 (2).jpg)
Courtesy photos
At far left, a damselfly, and at near left, the common dragonfly.
Dragonflies are similar to damselflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most dragonflies are held away from and perpendicular to the body when at rest. Dragonflies possess six legs (like any other insect), but most of them cannot walk well. Their scientific name, anisoptera, comes from the Greek and meaning not, iso meaning equal, and ptera meaning wings. The second set of wings the behind wings are broader than the front wings.
Mating female dragonflies lay eggs in or near the water, often on floating or emerging plants. When laying eggs, some species will completely submerge themselves in order to find a good surface on which to lay their eggs.
The eggs then hatch into nymphs (a stage in the life cycle of invertebrates with jointed legs and a segmented body). Most of the life of a dragonfly is spent in the nymph form, beneath the surface of the water, using extendable jaws to catch other invertebrates (often mosquito larvae) or even vertebrates such as tadpoles or fish.
The dragonfly breathes through gills in their rectum and can propel themselves rapidly by suddenly expelling water through their anus. Some nymphs even hunt on land, an aptitude which could have been more common in ancient times when terrestrial predators were clumsier.
The larval stage of large dragonflies can last as long as five years. In smaller species the larval stage may last between two months and three years. When the larva is ready to metamorphose into an adult, it climbs up an emergent plant like a reed. When exposed to air, the larvae will start breathing air. The skin will spilt at a weak spot behind the head and the adult dragonfly will crawl out of its old larval skin; spreads it wings, and flies off to feed on flies and midges.
While in flight, the dragonfly can propel itself in six directions – upward, downward, side to side, backward and forward. The adult stage of the larger species of dragonflies can last as long as five or six months.
Formerly the anisoptera were given a suborder rank beside the “ancient (anisoptera) which were believed to contain two living species of the genus Epiophlebia and numerous fossil ones.
More recently it turned out that the "anisozygopterans” form a paraphyletic assemblage of primitive morphological relative of the Anisoptera. Thus the Anisoptera (true dragonflies) are reduced to an infraorder in the new suborder Epiprocta (dragonflies in general). The artificial grouping, Anisozygoptera, is disbanded; its members are largely recognized as extinct offshoots at various stages of dragonfly evolution.
Most damselflies hold their wings at rest together above the torso or hold them slightly open above the torso, whereas most dragonflies at rest hold their wings perpendicular to their body, horizontally or occasionally slightly down and forward. Also, the back wing of the dragonfly broadens near the base, caudal to the connecting point at the body, while the back wing of the damselfly is similar to the front wing. Damselflies are often confused with newly molted dragonflies but once a dragonfly molts, it is fully grown.
There are other distinctions that set them apart: the eyes on a damselfly are apart; in most dragonflies the eyes touch.
A Romanian folk tale says that the dragonfly was once a horse possessed by the devil. In Europe, dragonflies have often been seen as sinister. Some English vernacular names, such as "devil's darning needle" and "ear cutter," link them with evil or injury. Swedish folklore holds that the devil uses dragonflies to weigh people's souls. They also have traditional uses as medicine in Japan and China.
In some parts of the world they are a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae; in Indonesia, for example, they are caught on poles made sticky with birdlime, then fried in oil as a delicacy.
In the U.S., dragonflies and damselflies are sought out as a hobby similar to birding and butterflying, known as oding. Oding is especially popular in Texas, where a total of 225 species of odonates in the world have been observed. With care, dragonflies can be handled and released by oders, like butterflies.
In the Southern U.S., the term "snake doctor" refers to a folk belief that dragonflies follow snakes around and stitch them back together if they are injured. They also have traditional uses as medicine in Japan and China. In some parts of the world they are a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae; in Indonesia, for example, they are caught on poles made sticky with birdlime, then fried in oil as a delicacy.
In Japan dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness, and they often appear in art and literature, especially haiku. The love for dragonflies is reflected in the fact that there are traditional names for almost all of the 200 species of dragonflies found in and around Japan
Japanese children catch large dragonflies as a game, using a hair with a small pebble tied to each end, which they throw into the air. The dragonfly mistakes the pebbles for prey, gets tangled in the hair, and is dragged to the ground by the weight.
Gulf Council announces limited red snaper season
The Gulf Council will be scheduling a workshop on concept of "sector separation" in Nov. 22. Attendees should plan on spending a half day at the workshop. The Gulf Council announced that a Gulf red snapper recreational season opened Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from Oct. 1 to Nov. The Gulf Council is also communicating with the National Marine Fisheries Service to close gulf gag grouper fishing for six months starting Jan 1.
Catch limits proposed in fishery management council amendment
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 17B to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region for review, approval, and implantation by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The amendment proposes actions to specify annual catch limits, and accountability measures for nine snapper-grouper species, eight of which are undergoing overfishing; specifies recreational and commercial allocations for golden tilefish; modifying management measures to limit total mortality of each species to their respective ACLs; and adding ACLs, ACTs, and AMs to the management measures that may be amended via the framework procedure.
The actions contained in Amendment 17B are intended to address overfishing of eight snapper-grouper species while maintaining catch levels consistent with achieving optimum yield for all nine species included in the amendment. Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on Nov. 22. You may submit comments, identified by ``0648-AY11'', by any one of the following methods: Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov ; by fax to Attention: Kate Michie at 1-727-824-5308; or by U.S. Mail to Kate Michie, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 Thirteenth Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. No comments will be posted for public viewing until after the comment period is over. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. To submit comments through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov, enter ``NOAA-NMFS-2010-0091'' in the keyword search, then check the box labeled (Select to find documents accepting comments or submissions (, then select (Send a Comment or Submission.( NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only. Copies of Amendment 17B may be obtained from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; phone: 843-571-4366 or 866-SAFMC-10 (toll free); fax: 843-769-4520; e-mail: safmc@safmc.net. Amendment 17B includes an Environmental Assessment, an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, a Regulatory Impact Review, and a Social Impact Assessment/Fishery Impact Statement. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Michie, telephone: 727-824-5305; fax: 727-824-5308; e-mail: Kate.Michie@noaa.gov.
CCA Florida recommends status quo on fish bag limit
CCA Florida has recommended that the Commission continue current regulations of one fish bag limit, 18 – 27 inch slot, open year round season, no commercial take to continue one of Florida’s most successful and valuable management plans. CCA Florida does not support the FWC staff recommendation to create north and south management zones and to increase north zones to 2 fish bag limit. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is proposing a bag limit change for North Florida redfish to two fish per person and create four management areas, which would be the same as those used for Spotted Sea Trout.
The commission is interested in providing more opportunities and more fish for recreational anglers. We encourage and support the commission in that regard; however; we urge them to look at spotted sea trout instead of redfish.
Spotted sea trout are currently closed in February in the NW region and November and December in all other regions. A new stock assessment will be completed in December. The anticipated increases in abundance could allow for the elimination of some or all of the closed months. Opening those closed months provides increased opportunities for anglers and allows more sea trout to be taken.The public hearing location is from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, at the Southeast branch of the Jacksonville Public Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL. If you are unable to attend please send your email comments which can be very simple to: marine@myfwc.com. Florida’s redfish program does not need any changes.
Fisherman cited in Oak Hill for over the linmit bagging of red drum
On Thursday, Sept. 9, during the early morning hours in the area of Oak Hill, Officers Don Meurlot and Audrey Zahn relieved Officers Clay McDonough, Steve LaRoche and Kelly Kazmierczak. All officers had been surveying portions of the area throughout the night. At approximately 5:15 a.m., Officers Meurlot and Zahn stopped an inbound vessel with an adult male on board who had been gigging fish. An inspection of the fish found beneath the legal catch revealed two red drum (redfish) that had been harvested by gigging. The commercial fisherman was issued two misdemeanor criminal citations for over the bag limit of red drum and illegal harvest method of red drum.
Bait rigging seminar next month in Orlando
The Central Florida Offshore Anglers will be present its annual Bait Rigging Seminar to the general public, 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 11, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Orlando. Small group presentations will be provided in the following subject areas: Ribbonfish, Pogies and live baiting for Kingfish; Trolling Plastic Lures; Bonito Strips; Swimming Mullet; Butterfly Jigs; Bottom Rigs; Flying Fish; Ballyhoo- pin head rig; Squid (Swords); Knot tying; Deep Drop Rigs; inshore rigs/techniques; Knife Sharpening; Cast nets; and Boat Rigging for Offshore Fishing. The Central Florida Offshore Anglers is an club for people who fish inshore as well as offshore - http://www.centralfloridaoffshoreanglers.com.
The CFOA is a family-oriented organization that will be 30 years old this year and has over 200-member families. We are primarily a fishing education resource for its members and hold monthly meetings with guest speakers as well as an annual inter-club competition for offshore and inshore salt water species. Through funds derived from its annual offshore tournament in Port Canaveral in May and an auction in November it supports a variety of Marine related activities including the CSS Dolphin Tagging (see July issue of Florida Sportsman magazine for feature article). Teen Anglers program, Snook Foundation, Paralyzed Veteran's Fishing Tournaments, Mitch Roffer’s Oil Spill Reporting, Casting for A Cure (breast Cancer recovery program) and other related areas. It has been a leader in placing artificial reefs off of East Central Florida as well as focal point leader for multiple fishing clubs battling for fishing rights issues with its Federal Fisheries programs, such as Snapper closures in the Atlantic.
No red tide detected in waterways
Karenia Brevis, the Florida red Tide organism was not detected on the east coast of Florida collected in samples collected this week in the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County. No samples have been received so far this week from the northwest coast of Florida. In southwest Florida, Karenia brevis was not detected in samples collected this week alongshore of Sarasota and Collier counties.
Water temperatures i low 80s during daytome hours
Currently the sea surface temperature at Ponce Inlet is 83 degrees Fahrenheit or 28.1 degrees Celsius. In the surf there have been reports of large schools of silver mullet and also school of fingerling mullet have been moving along headed south attracting bluefish and Spanish mackerel action. A few redfish, pompano, whiting. and black drum have also been landed. In the inlet there have been catches of redfish and gray snappers. Gray snappers, redfish and trout have been reportedly landed in the Halifax River. Up in the Tomoko River, there have been reports of large, fat largemouth bass and snook in the briny waters of the river, Offshore windy conditions have kept the boats at the docks.
Capt. Budd's P.S.
It has been written: “Heart attacks…God’s revenge for eating his animal friends.
So whether you charter, ride a head boat, run your own vessel, stay in the river, surf fish, or fish from shore or a bridge, there are fish to be caught. Fishing is not a matter of life or death, it is so much more important than that.
Tight lines, Capt. Budd