Natural History Wanderings

KRNV reports on the discovery of a rare dragonfly sighting

A rare species of dragonfly that was seen in the region more than a century ago was discovered in Truckee over the summer.

The species is relatively common across forested Canada and parts of the northern U.S., but in California, it is known from only four sites, three of which are close to the Oregon border. Within California, the Spiny Baskettail was first spotted at Donner Lake in 1914 by Clarence Hamilton Kennedy. They were never again seen anywhere around Tahoe despite considerable effort to relocate them. The accepted wisdom among California dragonfly enthusiasts and biologists was that this population was long gone, perhaps a victim of heavy recreational use at Donner Lake.

Read more Rare dragonfly discovered in Truckee more than a century since last spotted | KRNV