Normally a dragonfly’s abdomen is straight. Occasionally, though, I encounter one with an abdomen that has a noticeable curve, like this male Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) that I spotted yesterday at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge. (For those of you not familiar with dragonfly anatomy, the upper portion of the body is the thorax and the lower two-thirds is the abdomen.)
I suspect that the curvature was the result of a problem that occurred when the dragonfly was first emerging. It does not seem to have any effect on his ability to fly or to catch prey, but it might pose a problem when he attempts to mate.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
We were at Cincinnati Nature Center yesterday and crossed a small pond via a boardwalk. The place was teaming with dragonflies. I was struck again by how patient you have to be to capture your dragonfly images. And how steady your amera hand if not using a tripod!
Most of my dragonfly shots are hand-held, though occasionally I use a monopod if I am using the long lens with which I mostly photograph birds.
A steady hand and a very sharp eye for details: marvelous combination.