#pondhawk

A couple of pondhawks hard at work hunting in the hot afternoon sun, one already enjoying a meal! Despite being called pondhawks, I'm not sure I've ever seen one of these dragonflies at a pond, or at a body of water at all. I usually find them in grassy meadows, perched on shrubs, tall grasses, fences, or dead wood. I especially love the females of this species, and they're probably one of my favorite dragonfly colorations I've seen. The vibrant green fading into a pastel at the end of the abdomen–paired with the black stripes–is so gorgeous!

Photograph by Katja Schultz

An Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) sunning itself along the edge of a trail at Bentonville’s Osage Park on September 13

Orlando Expedition “Week” - Day 13, Post 4

Thank you for letting me know your location in your other message! It's difficult for me to say for sure what the dragonfly is without being able to see the markings on the thorax, abdomen, and wings. Best educated guess would be a pondhawk in the genus Erythemis. And what a beautiful wolf man! I love them both :)

Adult male common pondhawk, Erythemis simplicicollis.

Summer 2018, southeastern Pennsylvania