INVENTORY OF SELECTED ARTHROPODS AT ASSATEAGUE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE
2005-2007 SURVEY

Natural Resource Technical Report
NPS/NCBN/NRTR—2010/327

Richard Orr
Mid-Atlantic Invertebrate Field Studies (MAIFS)
5215 Durham Rd East
Columbia, MD 21044
odonata457@comcast.net
www.marylandinsects.com

May 2010

U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Natural Resource Program Center
Fort Collins, Colorado

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Abstract

A three year survey of the dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies, grasshoppers, katydids, crickets, leaf beetles and bees of Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS) occurred from 2005 through 2007. Additional arthropod surveys were undertaken of the lower salt marsh (terrestrial environment) and the island’s freshwater ponds. Beyond these basic surveys all conspicuous arthropods when encountered were recorded and when possible photographed so that a “field guide” could be created for use by the general public. Information was organized in a detailed Project Database including those species that were photographed or kept as voucher specimens. A checklist of the dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies of the island was developed. The arthropods recorded from ASIS generally fell into three distinct categories. The first were the long-time resident species (barrier island specialists). These were the fewest in number but often had the highest numbers of individuals. The second were introduced mainland species that found suitable habitat on the island to maintain viable populations from a few years to a few decades or even longer. This category contained the most arthropod species found on the island. The final category were vagrants from either the adjacent mainland or north/south moving dispersals/migrants that did not establish a population, or succeeded in establishing a population for only a season or so.

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