Blue Darner Dragonfly

February 01, 2009

020109

Provided and copyright by: Faye Landels

This beautiful 4 to 5 inch (10-12 cm) blue darner dragonfly posed on my hosta plant long enough for me to take as many pictures as I wanted. Dragonflies will perch on just about anything, including stone walls, bridge railings and concrete abutments, especially in cooler weather. The heat absorbed by the concrete provides some warmth, even after sundown. When they're found perching beneath an object, it's often because they need to rid themselves of excess heat. Dragonflies are worldwide in distribution with more than 5,000 described species, and they've populated the Earth for eons. In fact, a fossilized dragonfly from 250 million years ago has a wingspan of 28 inches (70 cm)! Adult dragonflies are often brightly colored and have two pair of long, slender wings with many net-like veins. They're typically found near water but are good fliers and have a range of several miles. Because in many areas around the globe swamps and marshes are being drained, there's a real concern that a number dragonfly species will become extinct if steps aren't taken to halt the rapid decline of their suitable breeding sites. Photo taken on August 14, 2008 from Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.

Photo details: HP PhotoSmart 318; Software used: V4.10; Exposure time: 0.008763; F number: 28; ISO speed rating: 100; Shutter speed: 6.83; Lens focal length: 6.79