The dragonflies are swarming my neighborhood this week.
Dragonflies are fun to watch because they often return to the same perch over and over, giving you the opportunity to observe them closely.
Watch the abdomen on this one.
It has tipped its abdomen up into what is called the “obelisk posture.”
It is possible that it saw my camera as a threat and this was a defensive move. On the other hand, it was a hot day and scientists have suggested the obelisk posture is a way dragonflies adjust their exposure to sunlight and keep from overheating.
If you have ever seen dragonflies flying over a pond, you know why many have the common name “skimmer.”
Take the flame skimmer, so called because the mature males have a orange to red head and abdomen. This newly-emerged male hasn’t developed his full coloration yet.
The male roseate skimmer has a magenta or purplish hue.
Other dragonflies named for their colors include the Mexican amberwings, which are smaller than flame skimmers.
The name darner seems appropriate, given their long, slender body.
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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.
Dragonflies are fun to watch because they often return to the same perch over and over, giving you the opportunity to observe them closely.
Watch the abdomen on this one.
It has tipped its abdomen up into what is called the “obelisk posture.”
