MDS Summer Gathering 2025: Itasca State Park

 Save the date!  Registration link and more information coming soon.

Dragonfly Identification Training Workshop 2025

 

We are happy spring has officially sprung!  No news of migrating odes in Minnesota yet, but we're anxiously awaiting those first common green darner and other dragonfly friends.

To help get ready for a busy summer of chasing dragonflies, MDS is hosting a dragonfly ID training event.  We hope you can join us!

Date: Saturday, April 12

Location: Tettegouche State Park

Time: 10 am – 3 pm

Cost: $20 per person/$10 for active MDS members

Space is limited to 25 participants; pre-registration required.

Register Here!

Training led by MDS Board Members:

•  Kurt Mead - MDS Founder, Naturalist, and Author of Dragonflies of the Northwoods

•  Jeff Fischer - Photographer, Webmaster, and Past President of the Wisconsin Dragonfly Society

For more information or if you have questions, please email info@mndragonfly.org.

  Tettegouche State Park

Click here to Register

For more information contact us at Info@mndragonfly.org

Annual Meeting & Gathering 2025

 

Join us Sunday, January 19th, for the 2025
MN Dragonfly Society Annual Meeting
and Gathering!

There are two options to join: in-person or on Zoom.
Please follow the steps below to register and join. 

1) Register using this form.  

• We will use this information for both in-person (to help us assess refreshment & setup needs) and Zoom (to send the meeting link & password).
• Please register by noon on Saturday, January 18th, to ensure we have enough snacks &/or you receive the Zoom link.
• In-person walk-ins will be welcome if space is available.
• You may want to double-check your email as you enter it into the form to ensure you receive the Zoom link (if applicable).

2) If you're joining in-person: 

• Meet at Eastman Nature Center (13351 Elm Creek Rd, Maple Grove, MN) and park in the lot.
• Enjoy socializing, presentations, snacks, & the chance to support MDS through our silent auction and merchandise/membership purchases.

3) If you're joining on Zoom:

• If you register by noon on January 18th, we will send an email with a Zoom link and password, sent that evening or the morning of the event.
• You may want to add info@mndragonfly.org to your safe sender list to ensure this email isn't caught by spam filters.

Meeting agenda*:

• 12:00  Social time: refreshments, silent auction, & merchandise/membership sales
• 12:30  Business meeting: MDS 2024 overview & Board/bylaw voting
• 12:50  Speaker: Ron Lawrenz- "Minnesota’s Roadside Odes" Travelogue
• 1:45  Break/silent auction
• 2:00  Speaker: Cathy 'Perk' Perkins- "Thanksgiving Dinner with Lance Grande" (damselfly fossils from the Eocene)
• 2:40  Final comments: invitation to 2025 field events & official meeting close
• 3:00  Social time & silent auction
• 3:30  Silent auction close
• 4:00  End of gathering

*This is a mostly informal gathering; agenda times are approximate & subject to change.

As always, this gathering is free, but donations are always appreciated.  If you would like to donate items to our silent auction, please email info@mndragonfly.org before the end of the day on Wednesday, January 15th. 

Whether you join us in-person or on Zoom, we look forward to seeing you!   And if you can't join us this time, we hope to see you at a future event or out in the field.  Happy 2025! 

Spring Dragonfly Identification & Volunteer Trainings

Join us for the first MDS-led Dragonfly ID & Volunteer Trainings in five years! 

Get ready for a busy summer of chasing dragonflies by joining Minnesota Dragonfly Society Board members for dragonfly identification &/or volunteer trainings this spring!

When: Sunday, April 21, 2024 (see specific session times below)

Where: William O'Brien State Park*

Register here

Dragonfly Identification Training

Whether you're unsure of the difference between dragonflies and damselflies, you just want an ID refresher, or anywhere in between, explore preserved specimens and photographs to learn the process and fundamentals of dragonfly identification in a guided, small-group setting.  As there will likely be no dragonflies on the wing at this time, this will be an indoor event.

Choose one of two sessions: 9-11am or 1-3pm. 

Cost: $20 donation per person/$10 for active MDS members (scholarships available).  Limit 15 participants.  Pre-registration strongly recommended; space may not be available for walk-ins.

Led by MDS Board Members:

• MDS Founder, Naturalist, and Author of Dragonflies of the Northwoods- Kurt Mead

• Photographer, Webmaster, and President of the Wisconsin Dragonfly Society- Jeff Fischer

Volunteer Training

Thinking about becoming a volunteer for MDS?  Want to help us share more excitement and knowledge about dragonflies?  Currently volunteering through MDS but want a refresher, updates, or information on how to become a lead volunteer?  Join us for a volunteer training!

Choose one or both sessions: 

• General volunteer training: 11am-noon
  Learn how easy it is to help out at MDS events, programs, surveys, and bioblitzes, and all the tools and equipment that may be available.  All that's required is an interest in dragonflies/damselflies and a willingness to share your interest with others. 

• Lead volunteer training: 3-4pm
  We can't say 'yes' to event requests without our lead volunteers, and we could really use more help.  Learn all the components of being a lead volunteer and how you can help get the word out about both MDS and dragonflies/damselflies.

Cost: free!  Limit 15 participants.  Pre-registration strongly recommended; space may not be available for walk-ins.

Led by Naturalist and President/Volunteer Coordinator of the Minnesota Dragonfly Society, Leah Darst.

*Note- a Minnesota State Park annual permit or day pass is required to enter and park at William O'Brien.  If you'd like to purchase one in advance, you can buy one here.

Registration bonus

If you register on or before April 19, you can purchase one piece of MDS merchandise (shirt or hat) at a $10 discount.  Any additional shirts or hats can be purchased at a $5 discount.  You can either add your purchase to your registration payment (with a note) or wait to pay for your MDS gear the day of the event.  Limited shirt colors and styles available.  

Questions?  Feel free to email us at info@mndragonfly.org.

MDS Annual Meeting & Gathering 2024

Join us Saturday, January 27th, for the 2024 MN Dragonfly Society Annual Meeting and Gathering!

There are two options to join: in-person or on Zoom.
Please follow the steps below to register and join. 

1) Register using this form.  

• We will use this information for both in-person (to help us assess food & setup needs) and Zoom (to send the meeting link & password).
• Please register by noon on Friday, January 26th, to ensure we have enough food &/or you receive the Zoom link.
• In-person walk-ins will be welcome if space is available.
• You may want to double-check your email as you enter it into the form to ensure you receive the Zoom link (if applicable).

2) If you're joining in-person: 

• After registering, go to the farm entrance of Dodge Nature Center (1701 Charlton Street in West St. Paul).
• Park in the lot.
• Walk up the paved trail to the white building on the right.
• Enter the building using the door on the right/north side of the building, near the clear garage doors.
• Enjoy socializing, presentations, food, & the chance to support MDS through our silent auction and merchandise/membership purchases.

3) If you're joining us on Zoom:

• If you registered, you should receive an email with a link and password to join the meeting.  This will likely be emailed on the evening of Friday, January 26th.
• You may want to add info@mndragonfly.org to your safe sender list to ensure this email isn't caught by spam filters.

MDS Annual Meeting & Gathering 2023

Join the Minnesota Dragonfly Society on Saturday, January 28th for our first-ever *hybrid* Annual Meeting & Gathering!  You have two options to join:

1. In-person: go to the farm entrance of Dodge Nature Center (1701 Charlton Street in West St. Paul), park in the lot, then walk up the paved trail to the white building on the right, & enter on the right side of the building near the clear garage doors.
2. Virtually on Zoom: register here.  After registering, you will receive an email with a separate link that can be used to join the meeting.  Registration is required to join us on Zoom.

In-person guests can enjoy socializing, presentations, activities, food, & the chance to support MDS through our silent auction & merchandise purchases.  (Last chance to buy the current t-shirt design before it's retired; limited sizes and colors available!)

If all goes as planned (cross your tarsi!), registered Zoom guests can watch the presentations, socializing, & odonata art gallery slideshow, & can send questions for our speakers through Zoom's chat feature. 

Agenda*:

• 12:00-12:30  Food/mingling
• 12:30-1:00  Business meeting
• 1:00-1:40  Virtual Presenter: Steve Valley, “The Art and Science of Dragonfly Photography”
• 1:40-2:00  Break and silent auction
• 2:00-2:30  Live Presenters: Kerrie Schaefer and Lily Erickson, Augsburg students studying odonates
• 2:30- 2:45  Break/ close out auction
• 2:45-3:30  Live Presenter: Ron Lawrenz, dragonfly research year-in-review
• 3:30-4:00  Final comments, mingling, and auction cash-out  

*This is an informal gathering; agenda times are approximate.

As always, this gathering is free, but donations are always appreciated.  If you would like to donate items for our silent auction or contribute artwork to our odonata art gallery, please email info@mndragonfly.org before the end of the day on Wednesday, January 18th. 

Whether you join us in-person or on Zoom, we look forward to seeing you!   And if you can't join us this time, we hope to see you at a future event or out in the field.  Happy new year!