Last Monday I was really excited to spot several male Stream Cruiser dragonflies (Didymops transversa), one of the early spring dragonflies that heretofore had eluded me this season. Stream Cruisers are habitat specialist, according to the Dragonflies of Northern Virginia website, and prefer “stable, small to medium, forest streams, with good flow and rocks. The best place to find them is hunting in sunlit meadows near their woodland waterways.” That is am accurate description of the spot where I photographed these Stream Cruisers alongside a stream in Prince William County, Virginia.
I love the overall look of a Stream Cruiser, with its distinctive green eyes, its colorful markings, and its long, gangly legs. If you look closely at the first image, you can see that the dragonfly is holding onto both sides of the forked branch with its long legs. I marvel too at the way that the Stream Cruiser is hanging in the second and third images—the pose looks awkward and precarious, but somehow the acrobatic position worked for the dragonfly.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Great shots as usual Michael
Thanks, Rudi. I was fortunate that these dragonflies were willing to let me get pretty close to them after they had landed. Initially I spotted them while they were flying.
Super images 😊🙏💕
Thanks. Dragonflies are my favorite subjects during the summer months. There is just something almost magical about these colorful aerial acrobats. 🙂
Wow! Lovely and sharp Mike, the detail in the wings is incredible!
Thanks. I was fortunate that I was able to maneuver into position with my macro lens and capture a lot of the details of these wonderful dragonflies. Sometimes dragonflies are really skittish, but on occasion they will tolerate my presence, even at close range.
I haven’t had much luck with dragonflies, I think I’ve photographed only two as they move around crazily. Well done 👍
Nice find, Mike, and superb photographs!
It’s amazing when we pay attention to habitat and actually find the species active right where it’s supposed to be.
So true, Wally, though, unfortunately, finding the right habitat does not guarantee that I will find my desired species. On the other hand, I sometimes find dragonflies in the “wrong” habitat. As wildlife photographers, all we can do is play the odds and having information about habitats helps to the odds a little more in our favor.
Great Detail Mike! Great Dragonfly images!