As summer drags on through its August dog days, bird sightings become fewer, as the majority of the summer migrants have completed their mating and nesting, and nestlings have fledged. As the birds all begin to think about their autumn migration, it is dragonflies that abound.
Sunny afternoons are the best time to find the jet fighters of the insect world. Dragonflies are nimble, fearsome hunters who consume all manner of lesser insects, including many we consider pests – most notably, mosquitos. They hunt and take their prey on the wing, and are capable of almost an aerial maneuver you can think of.
But they are also creatures of habit, and after each sortie they are likely to return to the same perch, or to one of a small number of favored spots, usually a tall bit of vegetation that provides them with a clear view of the surrounding airspace. If you’ve seen a dragonfly launch from a particular spot, remaining still and patient will very often see its return.
The dragonflies above represent the following species (some of the names are fantastic!):
- Window skimmer
- Halloween pennant
- Variable dancer
- Halloween pennant
- Eastern amberwing
- Eastern amberwing