Blue Dashers are one of our most common dragonflies where I live and it is easy to pass them by and take them for granted. When I stop and look closely at them, however, I am reminded of their beauty. I spotted this striking male Blue Dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis) on Tuesday at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge.
There is a lot of detail in this image—like the little amber patch on the wings and a tiny orange simple eye (ocellus) in the middle of the “face” adjacent to the larger compound eyes—and I recommend that you double-click on the image to get a closer view. (If you want to learn more about dragonfly eyes, check out this fascinating article entitled “Dragonflies: eyes and a face” at benkolstad.net.)
Beauty is everywhere.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Dragonfly eyes are a fascinating subject. I always enjoy reading a bit more about them.
I confess to being utterly fascinated by dragonfly eyes. It boggles my mind to think about what the world looks like when viewed through those amazing eyes.
Beautiful colors, great photo. And thanks for the reference to dragonflies on benkolstad.net. – A really great article with mind-blowing detail and photography. Have a great day. Thank you.
Thanks, Suzette. I come across a lot of interesting when I poke about on the internet, even when the subject is as familiar as a Blue Dasher dragonfly. I try to be a little selective in sharing links and tend to point to articles that might be of general interest to readers.
Thanks again Mike. A great share.
Took a few shots the other day and I actually thought Blue Dasher ! Of course it looked nothing like this, but it was a dragonfly, and I had a name. Progress.
Small steps, Ted. That’s what it takes. 🙂
Superb photograph, Mike!
And I agree about the Blue Dasher’s beauty. I too often walk by one “on the hunt” for something more exotic. I usually regret it as I don’t find anything more exotic and don’t see another Blue Dasher all day!
Thanks, Wally. I had a photographer friend several years ago who like to use the term “stopping power.” He would ask questions about the subjects you found interesting enough that you were willing to stop and take photos of them. I don’t always stop for Common Whitetails, Blue Dashers, and Eastern Pondhawks, the most common species where I like, but I try to give them some attention whenever I can get one in decent range with pretty good lighting.
They may be common, but they are uncommonly beautiful. It’s like it’s composed of little enameled jewels
And thanks for the link to that great article about the eyes.
Thanks, Gary. The colors and the patterns, especially when viewed from certain angles, really make these dragonflies stand out. I like the idea of “enameled jewels.”
Gorgeous, Mike!!
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Thanks, Mitzy. My very first blog posting over eight years ago featured this same kind of dragonfly.