On a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I stumbled upon a Common Baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca cynosura) at the edge of a pond that was in the final stages of the process of emergence. The first photo shows the dragonfly only seconds after it popped open its wings for the first time—note how shiny and clear the fragile wings are at this stage. The second photo shows the dragonfly a few minutes earlier, when its wings were still closed and its markings were just beginning to appear.
The dragonfly remained in place for a few minutes as its wings began to harden. It then made a short fluttering flight to some nearby vegetation, a safer and less exposed location to rest and complete its amazing metamorphosis.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Wonderful images of a stage of life few people ever see. Thanks Mike.
The first portrait made immediately made me think of Tiffany glass. I love the detail in the wing in the second photo. Lovely use of compositional lines too.
So pretty!
Blue Rock Horses Frederick County, Virginia bluerockhorses.com
Stupendous!!
Awesome shots Mike !
Thanks for the info about this dragonfly.
Very nice Mike! It is fun to watch them emerge! At our old home we had a pond and it was fun to see theme emerge in their Teneral stage. Plus their wings looked like “glass” and they could hardly fly to a place where they waited for their wings to harden. They were very vulnerable to predators in that stage. Thanks again!
Wow, nice and crisp images with very complementary backgrounds, Mike! What a fabulous event to get to witness.
Love these!
Wings like stained glass!
Amazing shots, Mike!