Aug 1, 2021 - Dragonflies

Here are some of the dragonflies that I photographed at our lake home this summer.

This is a Lancet Clubtail. The field guide I’m using shows the body length of each species. For this one, it’s about 1.7 inches.

DragonflyClubtailLancetPhanogomphusexilisDunningLakeItascaCounty20210610

The two white “corporal” stripes on the thorax and the white segments near the back wings give this dragonfly its name: Chalk-fronted Corporal. It has a body length of 1.6 inches.

DragonflyCorporalChalkfrontedLadonajuliaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210605

This is a Blue Dasher. It’s either a female or a young male, because it doesn’t have a blue thorax like a mature male would have.

DragonflyDasherBluePachydiplaxlongipennisjuvenileWindTurbineareaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210624

Here’s a side view of the Blue Dasher. Its body length can be from 1 to 1.7 inches.

DragonflyDasherBluePachydiplaxlongipennisjuvenileWindTurbineareaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210624

The abdomen of this Racket-tailed Emerald is unmarked except for two small yellow spots near the base. Adult body length averages 1.6 inches.

DragonflyEmeraldRackettailedDorocordulialiberaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210610

This colorful dragonfly is a male Calico Pennant. We probably see more Calico Pennants in our yard than any other species. This dragonfly has a body length of 1.2 inches.

DragonflyPennantCalicoCelithemiselisamalealongourdrivewayDunningLakeItascaCounty20210624

If you notice the similarity between this dragonfly and the last one, that’s because this is the female Calico Pennant. She has yellow markings where the male has red ones.

DragonflyPennantCalicoCelithemiselisaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210609