In 2024, Jay Kaplan of Roaring Brook Nature Center did a study of dragonflies and damselflies in the lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook area to compare the species present then with findings of studies from the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Some species he expected to find were not present. For the most part, they were early summer emergent species, causing him to wonder if changes in weather patterns had resulted in their presence earlier than they had appeared in prior years. This suggested that his starting in 2024 at the usual time in June might have been why those species were not found.
To try to answer this question, he conducted a second survey in 2025 which he began in May. He did find a good number of species which were not present the previous year, but 2025’s variable weather conditions made surveying difficult.
To learn how Jay interpreted his data and to see photos of the additional species of species found, see his report on the 2025 survey.
Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild & Scenic 