Landsford Canal State Park: Damselflies

At first we didn’t see much wildlife along the river except for at least one, if not more Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) and a Great Egret (Ardea alba) fishing in the fast-flowing waters of the rapids. But then we realized that the ground around us seemed to come alive – with damselflies. They were very twitchy. They’d rise and fly around a little before they settled again. They wouldn’t let me get too close but... I got a few shots. I’ve identified them as well as I can and would welcome feedback. There appeared to be two species: Blue-ringed Dancers (Argia sedula) and Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis).

The first was a male Blue-ringed Dancer. I didn’t manage to photograph any females.

*****

A male Blue-fronted Dancer.

A female Blue-fronted Dancer

*****

Either a female or an immature male Blue-fronted Dancer.
It was interesting taking these photos. At first the damselfly was flying circuits and landing on this spot. I couldn’t get close. And then, quite suddenly, it settled and I was able to use my LED lights to illuminate it for the shot. I could get within an inch or so without it showing any indication that it was aware of my presence – rather like the Georgia River Cruiser at the Broad River WMA in June.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:
- Giff Beaton's Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of Georgia and the Southeast: Pond Damselflies
- Bug Guide: Blue-ringed Dancers (Argia sedula) [Male] [Female]
- Bug Guide: Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis) [Male] [Female]

Landsford Canal State Park: Upper Section, Canal Trail

We didn’t have time to hike the full length of the Canal Trail during our visit to the Landsford Canal State Park and settled for hiking back from the Spider Lily Overlook to the parking lot via the upper section of this trail. Because the canal begins at the northern end of the trail, I’m describing this hike in the reverse direction to the direction we hiked it. The canal was built between 1820 and 1823 to allow boat traffic to bypass the rapids on the river.

A diversion dam was built with loose stones piled on the river bottom to keep water flowing through the canal when the river level was low and to provide calm water for the approach to the canal when the river level was high.

The remains of the diversion dam are still visible and still provides calm water compared with the rapidly flowing river beyond.

A guardlock was constructed at the northern end of the canal to allow boats to be lowered in the canal during high waters. When the water levels were low, the guardlock was left open.

*****

Views of the guardlock from the northern end

Looking back at the guardlock from its southern end.

A closer view of a remaining part of the foundation for the mechanism for opening and closing of the guardlock; two metal rods are still visible in the foundation.

A walnut that has been chewed open by a squirrel. Squirrels at Fort Yargo State Park also chew the nuts open this way to eat the meat.

The trail along the canal

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) fungi on a log in the shade beside the trail

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) berries were in vivid color.

Several footbridges crossed over the canal

An abutment is the only remnant of one of the footbridges. It was built to last.

The canal bed beside the trail

Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus sp.) growing on a tree near where the Nature Trail rejoined the Canal Trail at the Spiderlily Overlook.

Unfortunately we didn’t have time to hike the full length of the Canal Trail to see the structures at the southern end. Maybe another time…
Click on an image to view a larger image

Related posts:
- Landsford Canal State Park, South Carolina: Wildflowers

Landsford Canal State Park, South Carolina: Wildflowers

We’ve been scouting locations to view and, hopefully, photograph Hymenocallis coronaria (Shoal Lily) a lily considered by the USDA Plants Database to be a subspecies of Hymenocallis caroliniana (Carolina Spiderlily). Plants are perennials that grow to 3-ft in height in direct sunlight in fast-flowing, shallow water currents in shoals in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Stands of this plant are located on the Catawba River, in the at Landsford Canal State Park, in Chester County, South Carolina; in Anthony Shoals on the Broad River by the Broad River Wildlife Management Area in Wilkes County and the Hightower Shoals on the Flint River in Talbot and Upson Counties, Georgia; and in the Hargrove Shoals in the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge near West Blocton in Bibb County, Alabama.

In Alabama, the lily is known as the Cahaba Lily. In Georgia, it is usually called the Shoals Spider-lily. It is also varlously known as the Shoals Lily, Carolina Spiderlily, Rocky-shoals Spiderlily, or Catawba Spiderlily,

So we decided to check out the stand on the Catawba River in Landsford Canal State Park in South Carolina. We arrived at the park mid afternoon and decided to hike from the main entrance to the Spider Lily Overlook – along the Nature Trail on the way out and along the Canal Trail on the return trip. Although the spiderlilies weren’t blooming, we were rewarded with a number of blooming wildflowers.

Looking across the Catawba River past the Diversion Dam. The water is swift flowing here.

An Elephantsfoot bloom – I believe this is Hairy Elephantfoot (Elephantopus tomentosus) - bloom at the waters edge just before the Nature Trail split from the Canal Trail.

Looking out across the river below the Diversion Dam where the water was calm.

Looking down the small culvert, #5 on the map, to the Catawba River behind the island.

The river at the south end of the island – looking out towards the open river.

A large bolete mushroom, approximately 6 – 7 inches in diameter.

Most of the trail was wooded and surfaced with gravel to support the heavy foot traffic. It looks deceptively cool but the temperatures were in the 90s F.

A close of a Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) bloom. The culvert, #6 on the map, was filled with lush Jewelweed plants.

Approaching the Shoals Spider-lily overlook.

A section of the vista of the Shoals Spider-lily beds. The stand covers many acres in these shoals. The sight must be spectacular when the lilies are blooming.

A closer view of a Shoals Spider-lily plant.

A Virgin’s Bower (Clematis virginiana) vine was growing at the waters edge.

Close up of a Virgin’s Bower bloom.

Close up of Bicolor Lespedeza (Lespedeza bicolor) blooms. A few small plants were growing in the shade under the viewing platform.

A Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) plant was blooming at the waters edge.

Close up of a Cardinal Flower bloom

We ended our walk down the river at this point and headed back to the trail head via the Canal Trail.
Click on an image to view a larger image