Dragonfly Tails

Here are a couple pictures of dragonflies that would have been better had they been facing me. (Technically the long end part is considered their abdomen, not their tail.) Sometimes with a bird in a tree or a butterfly on a flower I can change my position to get a better shot, but dragonflies are often around a shoreline. In many cases the positioning opportunities are limited, and that's assuming they even stay in the same spot.

Identification is still frequently possible though. These views give good views of the abdominal segments and the wings, 2 pretty good identifiers for odonates. The mostly nondescript, largish, and slaty-gray dragonflies are usually Slaty Skimmers, and the small, stubby, amber dragonflies are usually Eastern Amberwings.

September 1, 2022 at Duke Island Park
Photo 238904760, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

September 1, 2022 at Duke Island Park
Photo 238904792, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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