Here we are in June already. Despite the cold spring, by now the dragonflies must be out. Last weekend - the last weekend of May - I visited a familiar field looking for the winged devils. I found a few, and took their pictures. This morning, first weekend in June, I noticed a common whitetail buzzing around my house. It kept landing on my car which I took to be a suggestion that I should get out to the country and look for dragonflies - so I did just that.
Here is a roundup of my first 2013 dragonfly photos - for each, click on the image for a lager file. All photos taken with a Pentax K-5, A*200mm macro lens, and DIY macro flash bracket.
Here is a female Twelve Spotted Skimmer from last weekend, first dragonfly shot of 2013. You may know that I go to great pains to get these shots, and in this case it was more painful than usual. The insect settled down in a clump of eastern prickly pear cactus, and despite all my best precautions I wound up sitting on a cactus, landing my elbow in a cactus, and pressing my hand on a cactus as I went to stand up. Prickly pear is more annoying than dangerous - the needles just stick in your outer skin till something happens to push them straight in, and then they just make for a tiny annoying prick. But for several days after taking these shots I’d settle into a chair or put on a garment and feel that annoying prick as a needle finally found its way home.
So - two shots in the prickly pear:
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP6834.jpg)
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP6877.jpg)
Here is another dragonfly form last weekend - I am not sure what it is. Body markings look like a Spiny or Beaverpond Baskettail, and it did have some green in the eyes like a Beaverpond. But, I don’t see any indication in my field guides that either species has brown tinted wings.
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7015.jpg)
Then, this afternoon, I returned to the northern edge of the Allegan Forest looking for more subjects. As soon as I stepped out of the car I encountered several blue dashers. Let’s start with males showing the characteristic blue abdomen:
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7072.jpg)
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7164.jpg)
And some females or immature males (they are similar in appearance):
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7035.jpg)
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7040.jpg)
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7052.jpg)
These Clubtails (family: Gomphidae) are typically abundant in these northern fields in the spring and early summer.
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7091.jpg)
I’m not sure what species of Gomphidae these clubtails are, but they are fierce hunters. Here is one devouring an Eastern Pondhawk - itself a large species that also preys on other dragonflies.
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7137.jpg)
As a parting shot - a female Common Whitetail, perched above dried leaves from last fall:
![](http://www.markcassino.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/calarti/2013/IMGP7179.jpg)