Ebony Jewelwing damselflies (Calopteryx maculata) like to hide in the shadows, but they really do sparkle like jewels when the light hits them right.
I spotted the beautiful female damselfly in the first photo this past weekend at Huntley Meadows Park—only females have white spots on their wings. I really like the way that the tones of the background complement the colors of the damselfly.
I captured this shot of a male Ebony Jewelwing damselfly only a few minutes later. The lighting was brighter and the stance seems almost confrontational, which gives this image a totally different feel from that of the female.
I’ll leave it to others to make broader inferences about the mysteries of the fairer gender versus the in-your-face directness of the average male.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Both of these are fabulous. Such beauty!
Both are great images but I love that second one. That pose makes him look like an alien beastie. Those colours are amazing. I feel like I repeat myself a lot on your blog but I’m forever impressed by your ability to capture details.
Beautiful photos of this very special damselfly – and what a wonderful name it has!
I’ve been seeing jewelwings in our garden over the past few days and hope to be able to post something in the near future. Glad to see that you’re still in the saddle and doing what you do best. I’m trying to catch up, but there’s a lot…