Yesterday as I was exploring Riverbend Park in Great Falls, Virginia, I encountered several damselflies that were new to me. When you spend as much time as I do searching for insects to photograph, you develop a sense of what is “normal” and I am able to decide almost immediately whether a subject is a familiar one or not. Those of you who know my work are aware that familiarity with a subject is not a criterion for photographing it—I am just as likely to take a shot of a common subject as a rare one.
As I looked though my reference books and material on line, I was able to determine that I had captured images of both the male and the female American Rubyspot damselfly (Hetaerina americana). One of the experts in a Facebook dragonfly forum pointed out the dragonfly in the first photo below is an immature male, which helps to explain why the red spot for which the species is named is not yet prominent.
I won’t go into the details of damselfly anatomy, but if you compare the dragonflies in the two photos, you can see some of the gender differences that often help in identification. The very tip of the abdomen, the part of the body that many folks refer to as the “tail,” is quite different for the male and the female. There is also some color differentiation. Alas, these are general rules that don’t apply in all cases, so I am often confounded when trying to identify the species of a given subject.
It is really cool that I continue to encounter new species. Part of the reason for that, I suspect, is that I am exploring some new locations. More importantly, though, my observational skills have improved dramatically over time and I am seeing things that I might not have noticed several years ago.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Upon seeing this post and since Benjamin is not here, I thought that I might share a bit about him. Some time ago, while looking at different posts of dragonflies and damselflies, Benjamin asked : “Why is one a dragonfly and the other is a damselfly?” Not having an informed answer or knowledge to share…I went to find one. After reading about some of the ways to identify the differences and discussing them, he can spot them on many of your photos. As Benjamin Franklin said : “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.” Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
I think that learning helps to keep us young. I so much admire the inquisitive mind and endless curiosity of children and strive to emulate them in that respect.
You really do have to train your eyes to see certain things, especially small things.
I know that I am most attuned to movement, so birds and insects are sometimes hard to detect for me when they are stationary. Some of my friends are really good at detecting patterns or colors. I am amazed at all of the little plants and fungi that you are able to find and photograph.
I think it just comes down to practice and knowing the subject as well as you can.