Moving toward adulthood

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Moving toward adulthood

June 3, 2014 by Mike Powell

I have always been intrigued by the fact that many male dragonflies start out looking like females and over time acquire their male coloration. It’s a bit of an oversimplification, but male Eastern Pondhawk dragonflies (Erythemis simplicicollis) are blue and females are green. Males of this species initially are green and gradually turn blue. Last weekend I managed to get some shots of a dragonfly who is in midst of this transitional period.

I really like his current two-toned look, but before long he’ll be almost completely blue, (though he will retain the green face.

Posted in Dragonflies, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife | Tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, Canon 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens, dragonfly, Eastern Pondhawk, Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, Erythemis simplicicollis, Huntley Meadows Park | 8 Comments

8 Responses

on June 3, 2014 at 7:40 am | Reply Dan Antion

I think I like everything about the bottom photo. Great shot.
- on June 3, 2014 at 7:41 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Dan. I hesitated about whether to lead with that shot.
on June 3, 2014 at 7:47 am | Reply Bren

Beautiful photo, but dragonflies frighten the life out of me… we have a couple that hover over our pond in summer… I don’t like the way they seem to fly at you.
on June 4, 2014 at 5:02 am | Reply Helen Cherry

Oh I didn’t know that Mike.. lovely photos and thanks for the lesson!
- on June 4, 2014 at 6:46 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. Stay tuned for today’s posting, in which I will show you what the adults look like.
  - on June 5, 2014 at 5:43 pm Helen Cherry
    
    Loved it Mike !
on June 4, 2014 at 6:44 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

I love that blue color. I know how frustrating plants that change color can be to identify sometimes. I can imagine it being the same with dragonflies.
on June 4, 2014 at 11:44 pm | Reply Ed

Thats a fantastic shot..:-)