Bug of the Week: Amberwing Dragonfly Posing

Two years ago I caught a Mexican Amberwing dragonfly hovering over the water. I have wanted to get a photograph of one sitting still ever since.

amberwing-dragonfly-two

I finally had a chance. It was perching at the top of a red bird of paradise.

It is a pretty small dragonfly, although there isn’t much here to give it scale.

Dragonflies are interesting because they vary a lot in color. Some amberwings have completely brown-gold wings whereas others have patches in clear wings like this one. Makes dragonfly identification quite tricky at times.

Arizona Dragonflies has a lovely series of photographs of Mexican amberwing dragonflies that show the variation in wing color.

It always amazes me to see dragonflies flying miles from water in the desert. It just goes to show how strong fliers they are.

This one was perching and then catching flying insects as they flew by.

Have you spotted any dragonflies this week?

2 Comments

  1. Sue Heavenrich

    gorgeous!

  2. Roberta

    Thank you Sue.

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