Many dragonflies like to perch on or near the ground, but some prefer to relax at the top of the trees, like this Black Saddlebags dragonfly (Tramea lacerata) that I spotted last Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. From this angle you can easily see the dark patches on the rear wings that someone decided looked like “saddlebags.”
Those patches somehow remind me of the famous inkblots of the Rorschach test. I suspect that. if asked, people have widely varying ideas about what they look like, though I know that I personally would not want to have any psychological interpretations attributed to my perceptions or to my imagination.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Another of Benjamin’s beloved dragonflies, that he will closely examine. He is all about the details! Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
Amazing little grip.
I’m delighted to get such a great view of the wings!
Nice Mike! Glad it is dragonfly season again!
Me too!!!
Love dragonflies for their lovely habit of returning to the same perch again and again. Suits the photographers needs best 🙂
I too love the ones that act that way. There are some species, though, that spend most of their time endlessly patrolling in the air and trying to get shots of them in flight will drive you crazy. 🙂