A Spiny Baskettail dragonfly was sighted at Donner Lake near Truckee this summer for the first time in more than 100 years.
The annual "Odonate Blitz," drew a small group of dragonfly and damselfly enthusiasts looking to spot various species. The event was organized by the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, according to reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The lake was chosen in the hopes of spying that elusive species, the Spiny Baskettail, according to the institute’s director, Will Richardson.
After hours of waiting, Richardson, at last, spotted a dragonfly caught in a "bunch of pollen and muck," on the surface of Donner Pond.
He rescued it and after getting a closer look, he was elated to find it was a Spiny Baskettail.
"I had a hard time wrapping my head around it for days," he said. "It was really a thrill."
Spiny Baskettails are found frequently in forests throughout Canada and the northern United States, but are elusive in California. They’ve only been seen in four areas in the state, all of them along the Oregon border, except for Donner Lake, as reported by the Chronicle.
Up until June, many assumed Donner Lake was no longer home to the species, Richardson said. The last time they’d been spotted in the area was in 1904.
Richardson went back to the lake after the first sighting and discovered another of the same species nestled in some pines, potential evidence of a nearby breeding population.
Richardson said the discovery shows that anyone can make a scientific discovery. "It’s worth emphasizing how regular folks can help make a contribution (to the scientific record). Everybody can contribute."
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