Common Whitetail Dragonfly

Here's a Common Whitetail Dragonfly neighbor I met walking around my apartment complex. She was out catching some rays while probably keeping an eye out for a snack. The 3 dark spots on each wing guarantee this is a female as opposed to a juvenile male who hasn't gotten his pruinose yet.

I am a little surprised to see dragonflies at my apartment complex since there's no year round water here. This species is supposed to be able to go through its nymph stage in puddles, and we probably had some puddles around in the spring. The other possibility is that she grew up a couple miles ago in the Raritan River; this species is considered to be a strong flier that could make that trip.

August 19, 2020 at Finderne, NJ


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