Yesterday afternoon we had a multiple dragonfly visitors in our backyard, after seeing very few all summer.
I’m pretty sure this is a Blue Dasher, even though it was quite small, about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) long.
This individual tried out several of the dried stems in my patio pots.
Blue Dasher
September 14, 2022
Dragonflies have amazing compound eyes.
One remarkable feature is how the eyes look to us, changing with just a flip of the head.
August 25, 2021
Correction: thanks to Mike Powell for IDing this as a Great Blue Skimmer:
“I am almost certain that your dragonfly is a Great Blue Skimmer rather than a Blue Dasher, Blue Dashers have striped thoraxes (the “chest” area), while Great Blue Skimmers have whitish thoraxes, like the one in your images. Blue Dashers are also quite a bit smaller than Great Blue Skimmers, whose bodies seem more elongated. “
I now have two Canon 7D Mark II camera bodies and went out with them both this week to a preserve circled with old rice fields.
I spotted this Blue Dasher eating some kind of a bee/flying insect and he stuck around long enough for me to get some shots with both sets of gear. The Canon 100-400mm lens takes wonderful closeups, especially when the light is good, although I try not to go to the full 400mm as it tends to go a bit soft. This time I forgot.
As is often the case in South Carolina swamp areas, I was limited in distance and angle for safety reasons. In addition to the usual snakes and alligators to watch for this dike was riddled with ant hills. I just assume they bite and try to stay clear.
After a few shots I was able to get a bit closer with the 100mm lens while there was still some lunch remaining.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Ravenel, SC
June 23, 2021
A stake in one of my patio flowerpots served as a perch for a dragonfly on a recent sunny day.
It alternated between the obelisk “hand stand” posture and a lower position.
I was able to maneuver to an angle with a snap-dragon in the back ground.
There was a second dragonfly landing a few feet away but this one chased it off before returning to the same perch.
