Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly

Here's an Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly. They are pretty small as dragonflies go, though they're still more robust-looking than a lot of damselflies. They get their name from their translucent amber wings of the males; the females have darker patches on otherwise wings. (Many times species are named for the appearance of the flashier sex, which is frequently the male in nature.)

Like many of the dragonflies I've discussed, these guys are also considered skimmers, and like many skimmers you can frequently find them perched somewhere. Though they typically catch food on-the-fly, they'll frequently perch to eat that food.

The males will stake out a patch of water that they think the females would approve of for egg-laying, and aggressively defend it from other males. If the male has chosen well, the females will show up and they'll mate.

Though they're predators in their own right, they have something else going for them. The stripes on their tail is somewhat similar to some wasps, and they are considered to be wasp mimics.

Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly at Duke Farms


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