Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Dragonfly: Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)

The Great Blue Skimmer (GBS) is one of my favorite dragonflies. Last year I saw one on a dead branch hanging over the small pond W and j dug to provide water for frogs to breed in. The branch was long enough for me to get a photo that would let me identify it but not long enough to get me get a good photo. This year is different.

A branch of a Chinese Privet that the GBS really liked grew further out over the pond this year and let me get this photo.

A couple of weeks later, during a cold spell, the GBS settled on some dead branches to warm in the mid-morning sun and let me get within about 10-ft where I got this photo.

When spooked, it settled on another dead branch on the other side of where I was standing. I was able to edge even closer and got this photo.

Identification resources:
- Dragonflies of Georgia: Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
- BugGuide: Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
[Male] [Female]
Click the image to view a larger image

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