Insects | Mike Powell

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Spangled Skimmer dragonfly

Posted in Photography, Insects, Nature, wildlife, Dragonflies, spring, dragonfly, tagged Spangled Skimmer, Spangled Skimmer dragonfly, Libellula cyanea, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, Canon 7D, Tamron 18-400mm on June 3, 2026| 6 Comments »

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.

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Black-shouldered Spinyleg dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Black-shouldered Spinyleg dragonfly, Canon 7D, Dromogomphus spinosus, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, skunk cabbage, Tamron 18-400mm on June 2, 2026| 3 Comments »

I was surprised and delighted to spot this Black-shouldered Spinyleg dragonfly (Dromogomphus spinosus) last week as I was exploring a mucky area in a local park. It was the kind of habitat where I hoped to spot Gray Petaltails and I was successful in doing so, as documented in my blog posting a few days ago called Gray Petaltail dragonfly in May.

However, I did not expect to find Black-shouldered Spinylegs, which in the past I have found most often near open streams. In fact, I must confess that I had no idea what kind of dragonfly it was when it flew by and landed on some large skunk cabbage leaves. Fortunately, I reacted quickly and manage to capture a few shots before the dragonfly flew away.

When I reviewed my photos later on my computer, I was struck by the length of the dragonfly’s back legs. If you click on the image to zoom in, you can’t help but notice the sharp spines that look to be as large and pointed as the thorns in the vegetation that frequently tear at my pantlegs. Those large leg spines help the Black-shouldered Spinyleg to capture and to hold on to prey (and help to explain the origin of the name of the species).

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Gray Petaltail dragonfly in May

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Eastern Skunk Cabbage, Gray Petaltail, Gray Petaltail dragonfly, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, skunk cabbage, Tachopteryx thoreyi, Tamron 18-400mm on May 30, 2026| 2 Comments »

I was thrilled on Thursday to spot several Gray Petaltail dragonflies (Tachopteryx thoreyi) while I was exploring a small local pond. Actually I was exploring a mucky seep area beyond the pond, a habitat that I knew was preferred by this species. When I find an area with a lot of skunk cabbage, I know I am in the right kind of place to find this species.

Gray Petaltails are amazing. They are the only member of the monotypic genus Tachopteryx and are often considered to be the most primitive living odonates. Colorwise, they are mostly grey and black, which allows them to blend in perfectly with the bark of tree trunks on which they often perch.

The first photo below shows an almost perfectly camouflaged Gray Petaltail. I watched it land on the tree trunk and still had some difficulty finding it in my camera’s viewfinder. I carefully moved to the side a bit and captured the second image in which you can see the dragonfly a bit better.

Once I had spotted my first Gray Petaltail, I hung around the seep area for quite a while and had a number of additional encounters. The third photo shows a Gray Petaltail perching on a broken off tree in the distance and I really like the way that the background looks in the shot.

The final two shots are among my favorites, because they show a Gray Petaltail perched horizontally on skunk cabbage leaves. I have often tried to get shots like these, but in the past the Gray Petaltails have rarely perched on this vegetation. In the final image the dragonfly looks like it is perched vertically, but I took the shot with my camera pointed downward at the Gray Petaltail that was perched horizontally on the skunk cabbage leaf. I love the way I was able to capture the texture of the leaf and the shadows of the wings was a nice bonus.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Unicorn Clubtail dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Arigomphus villosipes, Canon 7D, Fairfax County Virginia, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, Tamron 18-400mm, Unicorn Clubtail, Unicorn Clubtail dragonfly on May 29, 2026| 7 Comments »

Unicorns and dragons are mythical creatures, but I love to spend time chasing after them in the wild. If you know me well, you are probably aware of my fascination with dragonflies, one of my favorite subjects to photograph in the warmer months of the year. I am always delighted when I manage to spot a Unicorn Clubtail (Arigomphus villosipes), a beautiful dragonfly species in which both sexes have a small hornlike projection between their eyes that gives rise to their common name—you can’t really see the “horn” in these photos, so you’ll have to take my word on it. I spotted the Unicorn Clubtails in this posting yesterday while I was exploring a small pond in Fairfax County, Virginia where I live.

It is fairly easy to identify the males of this species, because of the rusty-edged club at the bottom portion of the dragonfly’s abdomen and its very visible bright tip. Male Unicorn Clubtails tend to fly short patrols and perch quite often on low vegetation. It is not hard to spot them if I am in the appropriate environment, which is usually a pond or marsh, unlike most other clubtail dragonflies that prefer rivers and streams.

In the first photo, the dragonfly was perched on some flimsy vegetation growing out of the water. The Unicorn Clubtail tested out several plants that couldn’t support its weight before finding on on which he could perch. In the second photo, the dragonfly opted to perch in the abundant vegetation growing near the water’s edge. The background in this image is a bit cluttered, but I was happy that I managed to keep the dragonfly in relatively sharp focus.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Common Baskettails in flight

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Common Baskettail, Common Baskettail dragonfly, Epitheca cynosura, Orkney Springs VA, Shrine Mont, Shrine Mont Retreat Center, Tamron 18-400mm on May 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

I love trying to capture images of dragonflies in flight, which requires a combination of skill and luck and a whole lot of patience. There were several Common Baskettail dragonflies (Epitheca cynosura) patrolling the waters of a small pond in Orkney Springs this past weekend and I managed to capture several shots of them in flight.

Common Baskettails spend most of the time flying and they rarely perch, so I tried to track them through the viewfinder of my camera. They are so small that the auto focus of my camera can’t seem to capture them, so I resorted to manual focusing most of the time. Fortunately they occasionally hover momentarily, which gives me a somewhat better chance of focusing on them.

The first photo below is probably the sharpest image that I captured. I like it a lot, but the background seems a little too neutral, almost like a studio shot. The second photo does a better job in showing some the ripples and color variations of the waters of the pond. The dragonfly in the final photo was much farther away, but I really like the sense of place that it gives you. It makes me think of a passenger jet flying at a high altitude above the land below.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Perched on a leaf

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Common Whitetail, Common Whitetail dragonfly, female Common Whitetail, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, Plathemis lydia, Tamron 18-400mm on May 13, 2026| 4 Comments »

Some of the familiar summer dragonflies have started to appear, including this female Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) that I spotted earlier this month during a visit to Occoquan Regional Park in nearby Lorton, Virginia. Common Whitetail dragonflies have a long flight period that begins in the spring and extends well into the autumn months.

Females of this species, despite their name, are brownish in color with the markings that you can see in the photo below. Immature males start off with a similar coloration, but relatively quickly their bodies become white. How do I know that this one is a female? Males and females have different markings on their wings. Males have a larger dark patch in the middle of each wing and the tips of the wings remain clear, while the females have a smaller patch in the middle of each wing and a second dark patch at the tip of each wing.

Common Whitetails are in fact quite common in this area and can be found in a variety of habitats. I nonetheless enjoy taking photos of them that highlight various aspects of this behavior. This photo, for example, shows how light in weight these dragonflies are, capable of perching on the edge of a dry, fallen leaf.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Zebra Swallowtail in May

Posted in Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Eurytides marcellus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA, Zebra Swallowtail, Zebra Swallowtail butterfly on May 12, 2026| Leave a Comment »

I love trying to get photographs of Zebra Swallowtail butterflies (Eurytides marcellus). There is an understated elegance to their monochromatic coloration (with pops of blue and red) and they are so hyperactive that I have to chase after them to have a chance to get a shot when they perch momentarily. Earlier this month I captured this image of one that highlights its long tails and colorful antennae.

There is something almost magical about chasing butterflies that makes me feel like a child again. I hope I never lose that energy, enthusiasm, and boundless curiosity.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Posted in Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Cicindela sexguttata, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, Six-spotted Tiger Beetle, Tamron 18-400mm on April 29, 2026| 9 Comments »

Earlier this week I spotted this striking Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) while I was exploring a local nature park. When the sun is shining, the metallic bodies of these beetles absolutely sparkle and look like pieces of high-fashion jewelry. This particular beetle was quite cooperative and did not move as I circled it in pursuit of a good shooting angle.

I was particularly happy with this shot, because of the way that it shows the shadow, the mouth parts, and the detailed wood grain of the stump on which the beetle was crawling. Normally these beetles, as their name suggests, have six spots, but I think that this one had eight little white spots. Apparently the number of spots is somewhat variable.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Stream Cruiser in April

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Didymops transversa, got milk?, Lorton VA, milk mustache, Occoquan Regional Park, Stream Cruiser, Stream Cruiser dragonfly, Tamron 18-400mm on April 28, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday I went for a “walk on the wild side” with my camera at one of my local nature parks and captured this shot of a handsome male Stream Cruiser dragonfly (Didymops transversa), my first spotting of this species in 2026. I was actually looking for spiketail dragonflies and encountered several other dragonfly enthusiasts who were similarly searching for those elusive species. I recall asking one of them if it was too early to see Stream Cruisers, because I vaguely remember photographing them at this location in the past, and amazingly I spotted one later in the day after we had gone our separate ways.

Although I did not findt any spiketails yesterday despite my efforts, this image testifies to the value of persistence. In my area, the density of these early spring species is pretty low, so you have to be patient, persistent, and quick-reacting when you do encounter one if you want to get a photo.

I love how this dragonfly seems to be looking right up at me with his stunning two-toned eyes and I am equally delighted by the “milk mustache” that he seems to have on his “upper lip.” Got milk?

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Brown Spiketail in April

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Brown Spiketail, Brown Spiketail dragonfly, Canon 7D, Cordulegaster bilineata, Lorton VA, Occoquan Regional Park, spiketail dragonfly, Tamron 18-400mm on April 24, 2026| 7 Comments »

Yesterday, 23 April, I spotted my first spiketail dragonfly of the season while I was exploring a regional park in my county. Dragonflies are divided up into a number of different families and some of the less common ones are named for their “tails,” including spiketails, petaltails, and clubtails. Most of the familiar dragonflies that we see during the summer are from the skimmer family.

Spiketail dragonflies are relatively uncommon where I live and I was delighted to spot capture this shot of what I believe is a Brown Spiketail (Cordulegaster bilineata). As described on the Dragonflies of Northern Virginia website, “These uncommon, elusive dragonflies have, in my opinion a magical, almost elven quality and are usually found in isolated corners of mature woodlands.”

I never know for sure what creatures I will encounter when I go out in the wild with my camera, but this was not exactly a random encounter. In the past I have sometimes found spiketails at this time of the year in this location. In wildlife photography there are no guarantees, but a bit of knowledge and skill and a lot of persistence can increase the odds in my favor of encountering some of these beautiful creatures—it is more than just pure luck.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly

Posted in Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, duskywing, Erynnis juvenalis, Juvenal's Duskywing, Prince William County VA, Tamron 18-400mm, Triangle VA on April 16, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Not all of the spring butterflies are colorful. During a recent hike in a forested area of Prince William County in Northern Virginia, I spotted numerous duskywing butterflies. These small butterflies are part of the skipper family (Hesperiidae) and are considered to be “spread-wing” skippers, because they typically perch with their wings held flat open rather than closed over their backs.

There are several different duskywing species that are differentiated by the patterns on their wings. I am not certain of this identification, but I believe that this may be a Juvenal’s Duskywing butterfly (Erynnis juvenalis). I encourage you to click on the image to get a closer look at this small butterfly’s beautiful colors and patterns,

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Bee Fly in early April

Posted in Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged bee fly, bee mimic, Bombylius major, Canon 7D, Greater Bee Fly, Kleptoparasitic bees, Prince William County VA, Tamron 18-400mm on April 15, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Is it a bee? Is it a fly? Well, it has a fuzzy body like a bumblebee and has a long, rigid proboscis that looks like a stinger, but its patterned wings and long legs look more like those of a fly. In actuality, it is a Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major), a parasitic bee mimic that is one of the earliest spring pollinators of wildflowers. In this case, I think the little flower was some kind of wild violet, a vital early spring nectar source for many pollinators, like bee flies.

I photographed this bee fly in early April while searching for dragonflies in Prince William County in Northern Virginia. I was quite happy to be able to capture so many of the details of this curious creature, including its long proboscis, spindly legs, patterned wings, and fuzzy body. In case you are curious, the body of one of these bee flies is about six-tenths of an inch (15mm) in length and its wing span is about one inch (25mm).

If you would like to learn more about these fascinating little bee flies, including their parasitic behavior, check out this article on the US Forest Service website by Beatriz Moisset entitled “A Pollinator with a Bad Reputation.”

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly

Posted in Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, Papilio glaucus, Prince William Forest Park, Tamron 18-400mm on April 13, 2026| 1 Comment »

Last week I spotted multiple Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) as I was hiking along forested trails in Prince William County, Virginia, searching primarily for dragonflies. For some reason, I tend to associate these butterflies, which happen to be the state insect for Virginia, with gardens more than forests.

However, according to the Prince William Conservation Alliance website, “Tiger Swallowtails are commonly found in deciduous woodlands and along their borders, including parks and neighborhoods, where they feed on the nectar of wild and garden flowers from Spring through Fall.”

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are quite common in my area, but I am always delighted to see their bright colors as they flutter through the air. April is a kind of transitional month here weatherwise, with wildly variable temperatures. Later this week, for example, the forecast predicts high temperatures of up to 93 degrees (34 degrees C). Yikes!

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Uhler’s Sundragon dragonflies

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, female Uhler's Sundragon, Helocordulia uhleri, male Uhler's Sundragon, Prince William County VA, Tamron 18-400mm, Uhler's Sundragon, Uhler's Sundragon dragonfly on April 8, 2026| 6 Comments »

Each spring I head out in search of Uhler’s Sundragons (Helocordulia uhleri), one of the earliest dragonflies in my area to emerge. Unlike many of the dragonflies that I commonly see during the summer days, this species is a “scarce and seldom seen member of the emerald family” and is a “habitat specialist with a brief and early flight period,” according to the Dragonflies of Northern Virginia website. The species requires a clean, sandy or gravelly forest stream with mix of riffles and pools.

Fortunately, I know of a creek where I have regularly seen them over the last few years, and I visited that location on Monday and spotted multiple Uhler’s Sundragons. As you can see in the photos below, this species likes to hang vertically or at an angle. The amber markings at the base of the wings help to distinguish Uhler’s Sundragons from the similar Selys’s Sundragons that have no such markings.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Springtime Darner dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Basiaeschna janata, Canon 7D, Prince William County VA, Springtime Darner, Springtime Darner dragonfly, Tamron 18-400mm on April 7, 2026| 6 Comments »

I was delighted to photograph this beautiful Springtime Darner dragonfly (Basiaeschna janata) yesterday (6 April) while I was exploring a creek in the forests of Prince William County, Virginia. I had seen some recent postings on Facebook showing dragonflies that others had seen in other parts of Virginia, so I decided to search for them.

I found several other dragonfly species too and plan to post some photos of them in the next few days, but I really wanted to post this one immediately. It’s been several years since I have seen a Springtime Darner and I was really excited when I looked through my telephoto zoom lens and realized what it was. The dragonfly was flying back and forth low over a patch of vegetation and I tracked it for a little while until if perched, hanging vertically low to the ground. It was so low that the tip of its abdomen was almost touching the dried leaves on the forest floor.

I was pretty far away and had to manually focus the lens–the cluttered background kept wanting to grab the focus when I tried to use auto focus and the dragonfly’s body was pretty thin. I was really happy to be able to capture the wonderful pattern on the body of this dragonfly, whose coloration helped it to blend in so well with its surroundings.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Spring Azure butterfly

Posted in Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon7D, Celastrina ladon, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Spring Azure, Spring Azure butterfly, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 25, 2026| 3 Comments »

Butterflies are already starting appear at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, including this tiny Spring Azure butterfly (Celestrina ladon) that I photographed there on 20 March. These little butterflies look pretty nondescript when their wings are close, but when they are flying, you can see the beautiful blue coloration of their inner wings.

Spring Azure butterflies are almost always the first butterflies that I see in the spring. A few other species, like Mourning Cloaks, overwinter as adults, but Spring Azure butterflies spend the winter in the pupal stage in a chrysalis and emerge as adults in the early spring.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Dragonfly in December

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Autumn Meadowhawk, Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, male Autumn Meadowhawk, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum vicinum, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on December 5, 2025| 7 Comments »

I was delighted to spot this Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum vicinum) on Wednesday, 3 December, at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Despite our recent cold nights, many of which have dipped below the freezing level, this hardy dragonfly managed to survive.

It is snowing out right this moment, so I am not sure how much longer I will be seeing these beautiful little creatures, but I’ll almost certainly be out with my camera next week to see what I can find.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Last dragonflies of the year?

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Autumn 2025, Autumn Meadowhawk, Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum vicinum, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on November 25, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I haven’t yet checked this week, but these Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum) that I spotted on 17 November at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge are likely to be among the last dragonflies that I see this season.

Autumn Meadowhawks frequently perch flat on the ground or on dried leaves on the ground. I was delighted when a male Autumn Meadowhawk perched almost vertically on a colorful fallen leaf and I was able to capture the first image below. By contrast, the female in the second photo chose a less interesting drab leaf on which to perch.

I’ll try to go out later this week to see if I can find some late season survivors, but it is becoming clear to me that this year’s dragonfly season is nearly over.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Autumn Meadowhawks in November

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Autumn 2025, Autumn Meadowhawk, Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum vicinum, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on November 13, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I think that we may well be down to our last surviving dragonfly species. On 10 November I ventured out to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge to look for any remaining dragonflies or butterflies. I did not find any butterflies, but was delighted to spot close to a dozen Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum).

Our temperatures this past week have dropped down close to the freezing level, which most dragonflies cannot tolerate. Autumn Meadowhawks, however, are hardy enough to survive a few light frosts as long as daytime temperatures remain relatively warm and sunny. Once we start receiving a few heavy frosts the remaining population starts to die off.

I was happy to capture some photos of Autumn Meadowhawks as they perched on the colorful leaves that litter many of the trails at the wildlife refuge. The dragonflies appeared to be content to remain in place soaking up the warmth of the sun as I approached and some even posed for me.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Another Blue-faced Meadowhawk

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Autumn 2025, Autumn Meadowhawk, Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum vicinum, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on November 9, 2025| 2 Comments »

For a variety of reasons I did not manage to go out with my camera this past week, so I went through my photos from the previous week and was delighted to find this photo of a Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum vicinum). As I have noted in previous postings, Blue-faced Meadowhawks have such a wonderful combination of colors that make them one of my favorite dragonfly species.

I was quite fortunate that this particular individual landed on some leaves right next to one of my feet, so I was able to capture this cool image by shooting almost directly downwards. In fact, I had to digitally remove a bit of the boot I was wearing from the lower left edge of the photo to keep the viewer from getting distracted.

Several days ago we had some frost warnings, so I fear that more of the dragonflies will have disappeared for the season. Still, I hope to return to my local wildlife refuge in the next few days to see what I can find.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Autumn colors

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Autumn 2025, Autumn Meadowhawk, Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum vicinum, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on November 6, 2025| 4 Comments »

It’s always fun to try to capture a shot of an Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum vicinum) with beautiful fall colors in the background, as I did last Friday (31 October) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Autumn Meadowhawks are invariably the last surviving species of the dragonfly season. In past years I have spotted them as late as the middle of December, and fellow dragonfly enthusiasts have reportedly seen them in our area in early January.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cabbage White in late October

Posted in Autumn, Butterflies, Insects, Nature, wildlife, tagged Cabbage White, Cabbage White butterfly, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Pieris rapae, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on November 4, 2025| 2 Comments »

I spotted this pretty little Cabbage White butterfly (Pieris rapae) on 31 October at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This is a relatively common butterfly that has a natural range across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. According to Wikipedia, it was accidentally introduced to Quebec, Canada, around 1860 and spread rapidly throughout North America.

Most of the time Cabbage Whites flit about so much as they forage that it is hard to get a good photo of one. This Cabbage White, however, paused for a moment to feed on a flowering plant and I was able to capture an action shot. If you click on the image, you can get even see the extended proboscis that the tiny butterfly was using to suck nectar from the center of the flower.

Cabbage Whites are one of the earliest butterflies to appear in the spring and generally are still in flight in the fall until we have a hard freeze. The weather has cooled considerably, but so far the temperatures have not fallen below the freezing level.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Halloween Day Dragonfly

Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Blue-faced Meadowhawk, Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, Halloween, halloween 2025, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum ambiguum, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on November 3, 2025| 7 Comments »

I was delighted to spot this stunning Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum ambiguum) on Halloween Day at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. We have had a series of cool, damp days recently, so when I saw the weather was forecast to be sunny, I went out to see if I could find any dragonflies. As I suspected, most of the dragonflies are now gone, but I was delighted to find a couple of Blue-faced Meadowhawks, one of my favorite species, and also a few Autumn Meadowhawks. The dragonfly season is not over yet.

I absolutely love the striking coloration of the male Blue-faced Meadowhawks, like the one in the photo below. Their turquoise faces, blue eyes, and bright red abdomens are incredibly beautiful. On a day when many children would be focusing on their “trick or treat” adventures, I felt like I received my “treat” a little early.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Orange Bluet damselfly

Posted in Autumn, damselfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Enallagma signatum, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Orange Bluet, Orange Bluet damselfly, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on November 1, 2025| 2 Comments »

When I spotted this damselfly on 17 October at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I initially couldn’t figure out what species it was. I asked for help in a dragonfly/damselfly group in Facebook and was informed that it was an Orange Bluet damselfly (Enallagma signatum).

The name Orange Bluet seems to be an oxymoron. As the name “bluet” suggests, most of the 35 members of the genus American Bluet (Enallagma), the largest damselfly genus in North America, are blue. However, certain species come in other colors including red, orange, and green and the Rainbow Bluet combines red, yellow, and green.

I have actually photographed Orange Bluets before, but they have been a much brighter orange in color, as you can see in the second photo below from July 2022. The damselfly in the first photo was much duller in color, which may well be the reason for my uncertainty. However, it seems to be a perfect visual representation of the current autumn season.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Eastern Pondhawk in late October

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Eastern Pondhawk, Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, Erythemis simplicicollis, female eastern pondhawk, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on October 27, 2025| 5 Comments »

There are only a few remaining dragonflies as we move deeper into the autumn season. I was therefore delighted to spot this female Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) during a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Eastern Pondhawks appear in early May and generally hang around until the end of October.

The females of this species are quite distinctive in their appearance, with their brilliant green color and striped abdomens, so they are relatively easy to identify. Immature males, however, have the same coloration when young, so I usually check the terminal appendages before making a call on the gender of an Eastern Pondhawk.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Autumn 2025, Autumn Meadowhawk, Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum vicinum, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on October 22, 2025| 2 Comments »

We have now reached a point in the dragonfly season where Autumn Meadowhawks (Sympetrum vicinum) are the dragonfly species that I see most frequently. Most other species have gradually disappeared and I seen only occasional survivors that are still hanging on. There is something about the physiology of Autumn Meadowhawks that allows them to tolerate the cold better than other dragonflies and in past years I have seen them as late as the middle of December.

Last Friday I spotted over a dozen Autumn Meadowhawks at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and was able to capture photos of several of them. Autumn Meadowhawks tend to perch flat on the ground, so it can be a bit difficult to spot them, especially when they choose to land on fallen leaves that camouflage them almost perfectly.

Female Autumn Meadowhawks are a mixture of red and brown colors, as you can see in the first photo below, while the males of the species are bright red, as you can see in the final photo. Both genders have beautiful brown eyes.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Blue-faced Meadowhawk, Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 7D, female Blue-faced Meadowhawk, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum ambiguum, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on October 20, 2025| 2 Comments »

The Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum) is a late-season dragonfly that is somewhat similar in appearance to the more common Autumn Meadowhawk—males of both species have bright red bodies, but Autumn Meadowhawks have brown eyes.

The females of both species are more muted in their coloration than their male counterparts, as is often the case with many dragonflies and birds, so they have more natural camouflage and are frequently more difficult to find. I was therefore delighted to spot this female Blue-faced Meadowhawk last Friday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, my first sighting of the species this season.

I am hopeful that I will spot the more colorful male Blue-faced Meadowhawk before this dragonfly season comes to an end.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Common Buckeye in October

Posted in Autumn, Butterflies, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Common Buckeye, Common Buckeye butterfly, Junonia coenia, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on October 14, 2025| 7 Comments »

During transitional periods throughout the year, I like to capture images that include elements of the season that is ending and of the season that is beginning. Last Friday I took this photo of a Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) that has some foliage in the background that was in the process of changing colors. Though the leaves on which the butterfly is perched are still green, the reds and oranges of the background provide a foretaste of the future, a foreshadowing sign of what is yet to come.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Russet-tipped Clubtail in October

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Russet-tipped Clubtail, Russet-tipped Clubtail dragonfly, Stylurus plagiatus, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on October 13, 2025| 2 Comments »

I was absolutely thrilled last Friday to photograph a Russet-tipped Clubtail dragonfly (Stylurus plagiatus) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a somewhat surprising find this late in the dragonfly season. As I was walking along one of the trails, I encountered a fellow dragonfly enthusiast who was part of a group conducting a survey of butterflies and dragonflies at the refuge. After a brief conversation, we both continued on our way, heading in opposite directions.

A short time later I heard a voice calling out from a distance. I could not understand what was being said, but hurried back down the trail and was delighted to see that my friend had spotted a Russet-tipped Clubtail perched in the vegetation. Russet-tipped Clubtails are a late season species and are seen most often in August and September in my area. Unlike many of the dragonflies that I see regularly that seem to prefer pole-like perches or perch flat on the ground, Russet-tipped Clubtails like to hang from the leaves of vegetation at an angle or almost vertically—members of the genus Stylurus are sometimes called “Hanging Clubtails.”

The dragonfly was cooperative and remained perched as I took photos from several different angles. Before long, the dragonfly took off and our brief encounter ended. I continued on my way, content to know that the end of the dragonfly season, although near, is not here yet.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Continuing the countdown

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Blue Dasher, Blue Dasher dragonfly, Canon 7D, Fort Belvoir VA, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Pachydiplax longipennis, Tamron 18-400mm on October 9, 2025| 4 Comments »

The countdown continues as we gradually move towards the end of the dragonfly season in my area. The Blue Dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis) is one of the first dragonflies to appear in the spring and one of the last dragonflies to disappear in the autumn.

I spotted this tattered male Blue Dasher dragonfly during a recent visit to Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge. This was one of only a handful of dragonflies that I saw that day. The end is nearing, but I am not ready to call it quits quite yet for my dragonfly photography.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Late season Slaty Skimmer

Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Fort Belvoir VA, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Libellula incesta, male Slaty Skimmer, Slaty Skimmer, Slaty Skimmer dragonfly, Tamron 18-400mm on October 6, 2025| 4 Comments »

Its wings are a bit tattered and its colors have faded, but this male Slaty Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula incesta) was still hanging in there at the end of September, when I spotted it at Jackson Miles Wetland Refuge at nearby Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The nights have become considerably cooler the past week and I am anxious to get out in the wild with my camera to see which hardy surviving dragonflies are still flying.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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