Dragonflies & wildflowers
We’re on the verge of our first heat wave of the season and it’s only the second full day of summer. Birds are not big fans of super hot days and they are making themselves scarce today. Dragonflies on the other hand are quite fond of the heat, however, and it was fun checking out the large numbers of odonates skimming over the water and perching on twigs and rocks for photo-ops.
Blue dasher Nikon Z8 with Z 100-400 @400mm 1/800 sec, f/11, ISO 900
I’ve featured the Blue dasher in an earlier blog post, but today, I’ll include him again for comparison’s sake. I have three dragonflies today which were stationary enough for me to get decent shots, so I figured we’ll take a close look at all three and get an idea of how to distinguish one from the other. The Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) is a small, vibrant dragonfly commonly found near ponds, lakes, and marshes throughout North America. Males are easily recognizable by their bright blue bodies and distinctive green eyes, while females exhibit more muted yellow and brown tones with patterned wings. This species is known for its rapid, agile flight and often perches prominently on reeds or grasses near water as this one was. This has been one of the most common dragonfly for me this spring, so I was not surprised to find it here at Crystal Lake today.
Blue corporal
The next two dragonflies are members of the genus Libellula known as “King skimmers”. The first i found was the Blue corporal seen above. Unlike the dasher, this skimmer has both a blue fronted thorax and blue abdomen. The face is black as is the base of the wings. The Blue corporal forages mainly from the ground and so the image of this odonate perched on a granite outcrop next to the pond is to be expected.
Spangled skimmer
Our second King skimmer of the day is the Spangled skimmer. Larger than the previous two dragonflies, this skimmer is easily identified by the fact that it is the only dragonfly east of the Mississippi that has a black-and-white stigma on the wings as seen here. The body of this skimmer is again blue as with the previous two and has a black face similar to the Corporal.
Painted turtle
Our last animal of the day certainly does not take to the air! The Painted Turtle is a freshwater turtle known for its distinctive, colorful markings. Its smooth, olive to black shell features red and yellow stripes along the edge (barely visible here), and its skin displays vibrant hues of red, yellow, and black, especially on the neck, legs, and tail. These turtles are commonly found in slow-moving freshwater bodies such as ponds, lakes, and marshes. This individual was found in an ephemeral pool across the road from the main lake. This pool used to be a small lily pond, but has filled in with vegetation for the most part over the years. Painted Turtles are omnivorous, feeding on aquatic vegetation, insects, and small fish. They are adept baskers, often seen perched on logs or rocks to regulate their body temperature. Today’s temperatures are approaching 90 degrees and have induced this painted turtle to cool off in the shallow waters.
Swamp rose
In the previous post, I mentioned how more and more wildflowers were beginning to appear, and so we’ll end today’s edition with an image of a beautiful Swamp rose The Swamp rose (Rosa palustris) is a deciduous shrub native to the wetlands and swampy areas of eastern North America. It typically grows between 3 to 6 feet tall and produces clusters of fragrant pink flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer. The plant thrives in moist, acidic soils and is often found along the edges of ponds, marshes, and slow-moving streams. This individual was quite low to the ground where it was attracting a number of pollinators. These swamp roses will continue to bloom throughout the summer and are a welcome addition to any landscape.
