Bear Meadows, Centre Co., PA

Bear Meadows (Topo Map) is a 320-acre sphagnum bog nested in the mountains of central Pennsylvania about 6 miles south east of State College. It is 56 miles southwest of the nearest terminal moraine of the Wisconsin glaciation, the location of which makes it a very interesting place to study boreal organisms at or near their southern limit of distribution. Among the dragonflies of interest that regularly occur here and would be expected during the second week of June are: Gomphaeschna furcillata, Cordulia shurtleffi, Helocordulia uhleri, Somatochlora walshii,  Leucorrhinia hudsonica, and Libellula quadrimaculata. Over 60 species of Odonata are known from Bear Meadows.

40° 43.75'N, 77° 45.73'W From H. B. White, III and G. H. & A. F. Beatty (1968) The Odonata Fauna of Bear Meadows, a Boreal Bog in Central Pennsylvania. Proc. Pennsylvania Acad. Sci. 42, 130-137.

In October 1965, Bear Meadows Natural Area was designated a National Natural Landmark site. The open part of the bog supports abundant high bush blueberries which attact bear when bearing ripe fruit and thus the name Bear Meadows.