“Not all who wander are lost.” Have you ever seen that slogan? It is so popular with van dwellers and RVers that it is almost a cliché, yet there is a real truth to that simple statement.
In fact, “wandering” is often my preferred method for encountering wildlife subjects to photograph. I like to wander along the trails (or sometimes off of the trail) and opportunistically scan my surroundings, watching and waiting for something to catch my eye.
I guess that is one of the reasons why I love the name of the Wandering Glider dragonfly (Pantala flavescens), a globetrotting species that is considered to be the most widespread dragonfly in the world, with a good population on every continent except Antarctica. According to Wikipedia, Wandering Gliders, also known as “Globe Skimmers,” make an annual multigenerational journey of some about 11,200 miles(18,000 km); to complete the migration, individual dragonflies fly more than 3,730 miles (6,000 km)—one of the farthest known migrations of all insect species.
This past Thursday, I was delighted to spot Wandering Gliders on multiple occasions as I was wandering about in Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I was even more thrilled when several of them perched for me and I was able to capture these images. The shots give you a good look at the beautiful markings of this dragonfly species and the broad hindwings that help these dragonflies to glide long distances.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Very nice Mike! I have never seen one of these before! Enjoyed seeing your images of them!
Great shots Mike.
Have a lovely weekend.
Georgeous photos Mike. And I like your emphasis on “wander” –it is a great word.
Thanks, Suzette. As a poet, I know that you pay particular attention to word usage. I try to do the same when writing my blog postings. Words really do matter.
Ah! Yes, true indeed…words do matter.
Have a great day.
I’m a wanderer, too — at least, for the most part. Like the bear who went over the mountain, I go out to see what I can see. Even though we’re far from Christmas, your reflections did bring to mind one of my favorite old carols: “I Wonder as I Wander”. We certainly find plenty to wonder over in our wanderings.
So as you chased your Wandering Gliders, were you a Gliding Wanderer? Lovely shots, Mike. I’ve only got lost once while wandering (fortunately another wanderer who was more familiar with that part of Quabbin came along and guided me back to the road) but more often I wander to the point of exhaustion and then have to wander back to point A. 🙂
Impressive mileage for an insect! Their markings and wings are beautiful.
Amazing info on this Wanderer’s migration pattern, Mike. These are beautiful captures with nice variety on the composition with the stick perch.
So delicate and graceful.
Superb photographs, Mike.
Thank you for confirming they CAN perch!
Thanks, Wally. The ones that I have been able to photograph were cooperative enough to patrol in a limited area, so I could spin myself around as they flew back and forth, eventually coming lower and lower and finally perching. Most of my dragonfly shots this season were taken with my 180mm macro, but these were done at 600mm with my 150-600mm lens.