I was thrilled to spot this stunning male Calico Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis elisa) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. At this time of the year I am eager to search for the survivors of the summer species. The number of dragonflies continues to dwindle as we move deeper into September and I never know for sure when an encounter with one of the species will turn out to be the last one of the season.
I absolutely love the look of male Calico Pennant dragonflies. The beautiful patterning on their wings and the red heart-shaped markings on their abdomens really make them stand out. I guess that I am a bit romantic when it comes to those red hearts and I managed to find a shooting angle that allowed me to capture that detail really well in the image below.
Alas, this male was the only Calico Pennant that I spotted that day. Dragonflies spent a lot of their time looking for a mate and then doing their part to ensure the preservation of their species. Perhaps this solitary dragonfly will find a mate or maybe it is too late in the season for that. As I said, I am somewhat of a romantic and I choose to hope that love will find a way for him.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
This is a wondrous photo and commentary! The enlarged photo of this male’s beautiful abdominal hearts leads one to believe that there surely is a mate as he is simply too captivating to ignore. I had meant to add a question on my Eastern Comma Butterfly comment but got too caught up in “September” and forgot. Therefore, per Benjamin’s question to me, dare I ask if you are a member of the “Dragonfly Society of the Americas”? “A dragonfly arrives and leaves like a change of mind.”- David Mitchell, English novelist. Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
Thanks, Ellen. You’ve read enough of my blogs to know that I kind of go off on tangents, depending on where my head is at the time I am writing the post. In response to Benjamin’s question, I am not a member of the Dragonfly Society of the Americaz. I have thought about it a few times, but their general approach is a bit more scientific than mine and I’m not sure it would be a good fit for me. I tend to be somewhat more interested in the artistic side of dragonfly photography than the technical side, though I must confess that I have learned a lot about dragonflies and their behavior over the years.
A stunningly beautiful insect, Mike.
Thanks, Mitzy.
Great shot of such a pretty creature.