Many dragonflies have transparent wings that seem to disappear when they are flying, making them look even smaller and hard to detect. Male Widow Skimmer dragonflies (Libellula luctuosa), however, have such large bi-colored patches on their wings that they look almost like butterflies when in flight, an impression heightened by the fluttering way that they fly.
I was thrilled when I spotted this male Widow Skimmer—the females of this species do not have the white wing patches—on Monday at Occoquan Regional Park. The dragonfly flew by me numerous times and I watched and waiting, hoping that it would land. My patience eventually paid off and I was able to capture this shot that shows off its wings beautifully. This may not be the most artistic image that I have ever captured, but it is a good one to use for the purpose of identification.
One of the coolest things about photography is that it can be both scientific and artistic, allowing me to be as geeky as I want in either domain.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Great photo. I saw a damselfly earlier, just outside my back door. I walked in, got my camera, came outside and it was gone. Oh well…
Thanks. When it comes to capturing shots of dragonflies and damselflies, nothin beats persistence and patience (and a little luck).
This is a lovely portrait that really does capture the beauty of the wings in particular. And I, for one, very much appreciate how you use your images and posts for both artistic and educational purposes.
Thanks, Laura. I remember when I first started this blog and thought it was going to be merely an on-line gallery of my photos. I quickly realized, though, that I enjoyed expressing myself in my words as well as in my images. I enjoy learning about the subjects that I have photographed and that is the source of the educational role that my posts sometimes play.
You go, my geeky friend!
Some folks might object to being called “geeky,” but not me–the label fits pretty well. 🙂