Great Blue Skimmer Dragonfly
Libellula vibrans
                    
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DIN0058
 
left Great Blue Skimmer Dragonfly Photograph right
 
2006 Photograph, Great Blue Skimmer Dragonfly (Libellula vibrans, Skimmer Family Libellulidae), Occoquan Bay NWR, Woodbridge, Virginia, © 2020.
Blue?  Well, eventually.  This is a juvenile male of the species.  Dragonflies go thorough a period of maturation after they emerge from the aquatic nymph stage.  During maturation, both sexes darken in color.  Males of this species also develop a waxy covering that produces a "bloom" over the surface of the abdomen.
Jian Zhe Li

Nature Photography, Wildlife Photography, Waterfowl Photography and Bird Photography from Marsh, River, Field and Forest Habitats.
All images Copyright © 1999 - by Gerry Gantt, all rights reserved.