Seaside dragonlet and Carolina saddlebags may sound like characters from a comic book, but they’re actually names of dragonflies that can be found on the Seacoast. These two species were among the more than 160 identified during a five-year survey of the insects across New Hampshire.

Pamela Hunt, an avian conservation biologist from New Hampshire Audubon, teamed up with New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Non-game Program to conduct the New Hampshire Dragonfly Survey, recording all the different types of dragonflies present throughout the state. With the help of numerous volunteers, the survey documented 16,000 specimens. 

“I’ve been interested in dragonflies for over 12 years,” said Hunt, who will present some of the survey findings during an event at the Great Bay Discovery Center in Greenland on Wednesday, July 18. “One of the ideas was that we didn’t know the population status and the distribution of the dragonflies in the state.”

The survey results will be combined with similar surveys done in Maine, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This will give biologists a better picture of dragonfly distribution in the Northeast. From there, conservationists and biologists can figure out the best way to preserve these insects, some of which are threatened.

One species considered threatened is the ringed boghaunter. Prior to the survey, this dragonfly had been recorded at only about eight different sites southeast of Concord. After the survey, there are now 15 different sites where the boghaunter has been spotted. “It is less endangered than we originally thought,” said Hunt.

A surprising result for the researchers was the discovery of four dragonfly species not previously documented in New Hampshire. They include comet darners, Carolina saddlebags, banded pennants and, Hunt’s favorite, striped saddlebags, which are typically found only in tropical areas.

Of the 162 total dragonfly species identified in the survey, close to 100 occur on the Seacoast, including more than 50 each in Rye and Seabrook. There are roughly 125 species known to occur in Rockingham County, alone. Two species—the seaside dragonlet and Carolina saddlebag—are found exclusively near the coast. But other species thrive only in habitats farther north. 

“A lot of the Seacoast towns are very small with no big lakes or rivers,” said Hunt. “There are the Lamprey and Salmon Falls rivers, but less habitat diversity. Durham and Kingston are good towns (for dragonflies).”

Dragonflies tend to like areas that have marshes, lakes and bogs. They stay near fresh water, only leaving to hunt or migrate. Since they are fast fliers, they live near open fields, not near vegetation or thick trees. Hunt said many of the dragonflies have been moving north due to climate changes.

The survey began in 2007, when volunteers throughout the state were trained and sent off to search various wetland areas from the Connecticut River all the way to the top of Mount Washington, taking pictures and capturing specimens that were present at their site. The idea was to visit the same site a couple of times during the year to see if any new species had entered the area. Volunteers put in more than 1,400 hours of work and covered more than 10,000 miles.

“The survey was designed to take five years,” said Hunt. “In one year, you wouldn’t be able to cover the typical areas for this project. You need to give yourself enough time to fill in the holes.”

Hunt’s upcoming presentation begins at 7 p.m. on July 18 at the Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center, which is off Route 33 in Stratham at 89 Depot Road in Greenland. She will share an overview of the life history and breeding cycle of dragonflies. She will also discuss some of the more interesting species found in New Hampshire and explain the results of the survey.

“It’s a huge treasure trove of data for all sorts of questions,” said Hunt.

Kids can learn more about the state’s dragonflies and the outdoors  at the Great Bay Discovery Center’s summer programs, which take place on Wednesdays and Fridays through August. A program called “Dragonhunters 101” will run on July 18 and 20 starting at 9:45 a.m. For more information, call 603-778-0015 or visit www.greatbay.org.