Surveying Dragonflies and Damselflies in Staten Island's Bluebelt
- Admin
- Jul 29
- 3 min read
Robert Brauman, Deputy Chief of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, enlisted Seth Wollney, College of Staten Island adjunct professor, and me to conduct dragonfly and damselfly surveys of wetlands that are part of the New York City Bluebelt system. The Bluebelt system is an ongoing project by New York City to control floodwaters that have historically plagued the low-lying sections of our borough. It consists of catch basins and dams that collect and absorb stormwater and flood runoff, gradually releasing it in a controlled manner.
An additional benefit of these projects is the creation of wetland habitats that support greater species diversity than existed prior to the construction of the catch basin and dam systems. As part of a broader initiative to document the biology of these sites, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection launched a program to survey the dragonfly and damselfly fauna at Bluebelt locations.
In 2024, I conducted a survey of the New Creek Bluebelt system, located in the Dongan Hills and South Beach sections of Staten Island. (Mr. Wollney surveyed Bluebelt sites at Conference House Park and Blue Heron Park.) Species were identified and their numbers recorded.
The area I surveyed in 2024 included the section of New Creek above Hylan Boulevard, known as Last Chance Pond, as well as the stretch of New Creek below Hylan Boulevard down to Olympia Boulevard in Midland Beach. From April 9, 2024, to October 31, 2024, I made 135 observations from selected New Creek observation points. My findings are as follows:
DRAGONFLIES
Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera): 96
Common Whitetail (Plathemis/Libellula lydia): 79
Common Green Darner (Anax junius): 57
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis): 43
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata): 25
Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis): 15
Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina): 4
Needham’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami): 3 (Note: this species is rare in New York State)
Painted Skimmer (Libellula semifasciata): 3
Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta): 2
Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens): 2
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella): 1
Observed but not positively identified: 115 dragonflies
All dragonfly data were based on sight observations.
DAMSELFLIES
A total of 41 damselfly records were made, of which only two Familiar Bluets (Enallagma civile) were positively identified by microscopic examination.
Prior to the construction of the New Creek Bluebelt, the area was largely a Phragmites australis monoculture, where this invasive grass dominated the ecosystem. Such plant monocultures tend to limit species diversity, including among insects like dragonflies and damselflies, by reducing the variety of habitat niches and food sources. The Bluebelt project at New Creek has created ponds and slowly moving streams at the site. In addition, Phragmites australis was removed and native plant species appropriate for wetland habitats were introduced.
The 2024 survey indicates that both dragonfly species diversity and overall dragonfly abundance remain relatively low. However, this is likely to change over time as different species colonize the site. The New Creek Bluebelt offers habitat conducive to an increase in both the diversity and number of dragonflies in the future.
The 2024 New Creek Dragonfly and Damselfly Survey will serve as a benchmark for future studies of this wetland system.
— Paul Lederer
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