On Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I was thrilled to spend some time hanging out with this Common Green Darner dragonfly (Anax junius). The range of colors on its body is so remarkable that I almost couldn’t believe my eyes when I zoomed in on it. An expert in a dragonfly forum on Facebook noted to me that the dragonfly is a teneral one, which means that it has only newly emerged. That would account for its relatively pale, almost pastel coloration and the perfect condition of its wings. If you click on the image, you can see even better some of the remarkable details of this dragonfly, like the colorful pattern on its “nose.”
The beautiful dragonfly was hanging vertically only a few inches above the ground, in a pretty safe location. I kept my distance as I took some photos and departed quietly, conscious of the fact that a dragonfly is fragile and vulnerable at this early stage of development. It remained in place as I slowly slipped away.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
It is beautiful. It looks as though it’s a piece of enameled jewelry. Just lovely!
I like the analogy and totally agree about their beauty.
What a beauty and so challenging to capture! They taunt me in the gardens!
I know the feeling of being taunted, but fortunately I am a pretty patient and persistent person. In any case, wildlife photography is a humbling experience, because there are so many variables that you cannot control, so luck plays a disproportionately large role.
I agree! Wishing you continued luck! It is definitely on your side!🕷🐝🦋