Mike Powell

I thought that the Calico Pennant dragonflies (Celithemis elisa) might be gone for the season, so I was thrilled to spot this handsome male last Monday (12 August) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Calico Pennants are among the most colorful dragonflies that I encounter, with beautiful patterned wings. Early in their development, male Calico Pennants have yellow bodies, like their female counterparts, but eventually they become a bright red in color.

When I captured this image of the Calico Pennant, he was perched at the very tip of the vegetation, a favorite perching spot for this species. Like other pennant species, Calico Pennants often occupy precarious perches that cause them to flap like a pennant when even the slightest breeze is blowing.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.