With the avian breeding season coming to a close, I have turned some of my attention to other things with wings - butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies. The dragons and damsels are new quests for me, and the learning curve has been steep. They also require a very different kind of alertness. There is no audio with these insects, and the sight distance is relatively close by, unlike birds which are often seen at a distance. The use of my camera helps tremendously, since I can study and identify with resources at hand.
The
Stokes Beginner's Guide to Dragonflies has been invaluable in these early stages of learning. With a tentative ID, I then try to confirm with
Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East, Dennis Paulson (Princeton Field Guides).
Even so, I am not always certain, and many species are closely related and difficult to distinguish. If you think an ID is incorrect, please let me know.
In this post, I begin with some of the larger and more conspicuous dragonflies, all in the Skimmer family.
Common Whitetail (
Libellula lydia 1.7")
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| Common Whitetail |
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (
Libellula pulchella 2.0")
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| Twelve-spotted Skimmer - male |
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| Twelve-spotted Skimmer - female |
Widow Skimmer (
Libellula luctuosa 1.8")
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| Widow Skimmer |
Chalk-fronted Corporal (
Libellula julia 1.6")
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| Chalk-fronted Corporal - female |
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| Chalk-fronted Corporal - male |
Spangled Skimmer (
Libellula eyanea 1.8")
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| Spangled Skimmer |
Slaty Skimmer (
Libellula incesta 2.0")
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| Slaty Skimmer |
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More soon ...
