Vermont Butterfly Survey 2002-2007

<p>From 2002 to 2007 volunteer butterfly enthusiasts spent thousands of hours in the field in an effort to record the status and distribution of Vermont butterflies, the first systematic statewide butterfly atlas to be undertaken.</p

Observed Flight dates

This file contains the first flight date information for adult Common green darners (Anax junius) used to generate Fig 1

GBIF.org

Data were acquired from GBIF.org and were used to generate a habitat suitability surface for the common green darner (Anax junius). Citation: GBIF.org (03 July 2018) GBIF Occurrence Download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.pw0uo

Green Darner Isotope data

This file contains isotope data used to make natal geographic assignments to reveal the annual cycle and migration of the Common green darner (Anax junius)

Data from: Tracking dragons: stable isotopes reveal the annual cycle of a long-distance migratory insect

Insect migration is globally ubiquitous and can involve continental-scale movements and complex life-histories. Apart from select species of migratory moths and butterflies, little is known about the structure of the annual cycle for migratory insects. Using stable-hydrogen isotope analysis of 852 wing samples from eight countries spanning 140 years, combined with 21 years of citizen science data, we determined the full annual cycle of a large migratory dragonfly, the common green darner (Anax junius). We demonstrate that darners undertake complex long-distance annual migrations governed largely by temperature that involve at least three generations. In spring, the first generation makes a long-distance northbound movement (>650 km) from southern to northern range limits, lays eggs and dies. A second generation emerges and returns south (>680 km), where they lay eggs and die. Finally, a third resident generation emerges, reproducing locally and giving rise to the cohort that migrates north the following spring. Since migration timing and nymph development are highly dependent on temperature, continued climate change could lead to fundamental changes in the biology for this and similar migratory insects