It is not often that I have a chance to photograph a dragonfly species for the first time, so you can understand my excitement on Friday when I looked down at a rock in a small stream that I was exploring in Fairfax County and spotted this tiny male Eastern Least Clubtail (Stylogomphus albistylus). I knew that there was a chance that I might find one, because several other photographers had recently spotted this species, but it still came as a bit of a surprise when it actually happened.
As its name suggests, the Eastern Least Clubtail is the smallest of North American clubtails and among the smallest clubtails in the world at only 1.2 to 1.4 inches (31-36 mm) in length. As the Dragonflies of Northern Virginia website notes, “This small, thin dragonfly is easily overlooked, or mistaken for a damselfly. The dark coloring, slight build and small, clear wings require sharp eyes to spot.”
Fortunately this dragonfly was perched flat on a rock in a sunny spot of the stream, a male Eastern Least Clubtail’s preferred perch according to identification guides, so I managed to spot it. The dragonfly must have really liked that perch, because it remained in place as I carefully captured images of it from different distances and angles. In fact, this handsome little guy was still basking in the sun on that stone in the stream as I departed, filled with joy at my newest find.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Wonderful photos Mike. Great capture of this rare slighting.
And yes, 😊 I can imagine your excitement and joy. Great share😊👍
Thanks, Suzette. I laughed when I read your comment. I guess my enthusiasm and energy come through in a lot of my posts and I certainly don’t try to hide it. So often I feel like a little kid as I encounter new things and am so excited to share my discoveries with others. Act my age? No, I enjoy acting like a child. 🙂
I agree with you, Mike😊
No monster this green-eyed beauty. Lovely eyes and shots, Mike.
Thanks, Steve.
Beautiful. Again, nicely separated from the background and the green and red orange are complementary colors so they work really well together.
Thanks, Michael. It is always a bonus when I can get a color scheme that works together so well. I am able to control a few things through camera settings and my angle of view, but so many variables related to the environment are utterly out of my control.
I am so thrilled for you, Mike! I know well that elation in nature when we get a “lifer,” for me it is birds. And what a handsome dragonfly this is, and so incredibly small. Made me wonder if dragonfly aficionados keep life lists like birders do (I’m thinking no). I love that second overhead photo capturing the incredible markings, gossamer wings, great pincers and of course those bright green eyes. I clicked on it for an extra dose of joy. Fantastic!
Thanks, Jet. Some dragonfly folks do keep life lists as birders do and I know of several who are willing to travel for quite a distance in search of rare species. I enjoyed reading of your reaction to my newest little find. I took shots from several different angles in order to show the characteristics of the dragonfly as well as the habitat in which I found him. I almost always post photos that are larger than necessary so that folks can click on them to see the details. I do most of my work on a desktop Mac, so I tend to see the photos pretty large on my monitor, but I recognize that some folks may be viewing them on a tablet or phone, so clicking is always recommended to see the wonderful details of subjects like this one.
Wonderful find, Mike, and what a nice rock he chose to spend some time on showing off his beauty. It is fun to spot, and then photograph, something new. Like the other commenters, I can feel your joy in the experience.
Thanks, Ellen. I went visiting the same park yesterday and it was not hard to find that rock again. Alas it was unoccupied this time, but I will probably search that part of the stream again before the dragonfly season is over.
Great Series of Images Mike! Always fun to photograph a dragonfly species for the first time!! Congrats!!
Thanks, Reed. I definitely enjoyed the thrill of photographing a subject that was new to me. Now, however, I am filled with a desire to go out again and capture even better shots of it. Wildlife photographers, it seems, are eternally restless and never fully satisfied.
[…] of you may remember my excitement from my blog posting a week ago when I photographed an Eastern Least Clubtail dragonfly (Stylogomphus albistylus) for […]