Last week I spotted my first Spangled Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula cyanea) of the year at Occoquan Regional Park in nearby Lorton, Virginia. It is remarkable easy to identify this species, because it is the only dragonfly in our area that has both black and white stigmata.
The stigmata, or pterostigmata, which is the more technical name, are the pigmented hollow structures on the leading edge of dragonfly wings. They are slightly heavier than the adjoining cells and have a significant effect on the aerodynamics of the wing, particularly while gliding, according to an article entitled “Dragonfly wings: tried and tested over millennia!” I confess that I don’t understand aerodynamics at all and look at dragonfly flight as nothing short of miraculous (and magical).
I am starting to see more and more dragonflies each time that I go out with my camera. I enjoy returning to familiar spots, observing the yearly cycle of emerging creatures. With all of the chaos swirling in the world, there is something reassuring about this cycle that continues on with some degree of predictability.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
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