My fascination with dragonflies began several years ago when I started investigating wetlands and open habitats with a camera. These insect predators are prominent in the summer landscape and tend to be visible – hunting, perching, breeding – on the hottest and most humid of days, when the usual bird and mammal subjects are lying low.
I’ve done several posts featuring these amazing insects (https://nicksnaturepics.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1279&action=edit) but continue to be intrigued by them. I’ll begin my 2014 campaign with a male Blue Dasher.
Blue Dasher, male, perched on Staghorn Sumac.
The Blue Dasher, a member of the “Skimmer” family, is common throughout most of the U.S. They can be seen foraging and patrolling the shores of well-vegetated ponds – their preferred habitat.
Photo by NB Hunter. © All Rights Reserved.
Nick's Nature Pics 
I really enjoy dragonfly “season.” There as so many colors and they are such beautiful creatures. I am glad you know your dragonflies, because for me, they are often hard to identify. I may have check out your other posts on them.
Try this on for size: “A Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Massachusetts” by Nikula, Ryan and Burne. Funded by the Mass. Natural heritage and Endangered Species Fund, this little gem is one of the best field guides I’ve ever owned — and I have enough to start a book store. It solves most ID riddles, if not to species then to genus or family. Sometimes a photo just isn’t enough—-many Odonata have to be netted, pickled and examined under a dissecting scope for positive ID. I don’t do this and as a result have a few nameless images in my collection!
Thank you. Did you see my dragonflies? I posted possible names, but the images are named things like orange dragonfly.
They certainly are amazing creatures. Like small sparkling jewels flitting about to brighten our lives. I had a gorgeous scarlet one visit back when I had the goldfish pond. Very well captured, Nick.