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This past weekend, a common green darner (Anax junius) languidly buzzed near the arboretum shed, dawdling long enough for an extensive photoshoot. The bright green thorax helps us identify this species.
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What color is the abdomen? Pink? Purple? It certainly isn't bright blue, a color which would tell us that this is a mature male. So, we are looking at either a female or an immature male.
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This specimen was clearly having an off-day or was otherwise exhausted, as it tolerated a ruler being slid underneath its wings. This is a large dragonfly, measuring approximately three inches in length.
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The poor dear even allowed itself to be caught and transported to a nearby windowsill for a better look. We see an amber coloration on its wings.
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On the head, we see the characteristic circular marking, which is another indicator that this is a common green darner. A second attempt to photograph the dragonfly alongside the ruler was made, at which point the common green darner decided that enough was enough and summoned its strength to escape from the unwanted publicity shoot.
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For more information about this species, consult the following online resources:
Bodmer, Hannah. "Common Green Darner." Department of Entomology at the University of Minnesota.
"Common Green Darner (Anax junius)." Insect Identification (2022).
Miner, Angela. "Anax junius." BioKIDS. University of Michigan.
