I walked the rail trail by Poor Farm Swamp yesterday hoping for dragonflies but it was early, cool, and cloudy…not the best weather to find them. Before dinner last night I went out in the front yard with the flash setup to see what I could see and there was a dragonfly zipping around. It chose a rhododendron leaf to obelisk upon and cool down in the hot sun.
Ruby Meadowhawk-Sympetrum rubicundulum.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
And you were ready for the moment. Well done–it paid off.
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I guess I was. The 40D and I were wandering around the yard looking for subjects when this one sat down in front of us. Thanks.
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Plenty of towns have erected obelisks. You’ve made me wonder whether any town has ever erected a sculpture of an obelisking dragonfly, and whether any sculptor has ever created one.
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I imagine there are several small garden statuettes but I don’t think towns would erect such a thing. But you never know.
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Wow, kind of scary!
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They are pretty fierce predators but, at least for the foreseeable future, we haven’t to worry about them. There were some huuuuge prehistoric ones.
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I learned only recently (within the past week) that obelisking is only one way for dragonflies to cool down. When they hold their wings forward, shading their thorax, they’re engaged in the same sort of behavior.
Initially, I thought the wings-forward example I’d found was a meadowhawk, but she turned out to be a seaside dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice), a species we share. I didn’t find one on your blog; since they’re a saltwater species, you may not see them.
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Nope. I’ve not seen one…just left that comment on your posting. Up until now, I haven’t really thought about insects, aside from those that bite, when visiting Acadia but I am sure they are flying there as well. Next time, who knows when that will be, I’ll keep them in mind when in Maine.
Dragonflies are so graceful which is a surprise for such a tenacious and vicious hunter.
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Nice Steve! Always fun to photograph dragonflies!
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That it is, Reed. Thanks!
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Amazing acrobats! Every August, I look forward to their nightly aerial shows off our deck.
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Their flight ability is always amazing to watch.
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Sometimes when they come close, I can here their jaws clicking as they chomp prey – makes me glad they are not bigger! 😉 Apparently, eons ago, they had a 5′ wingspan!
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Yeah, those prehistoric dragonflies were beasts on the wing.
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It’s always nice when you catch them zipping and then they settle for you. That don’t happen often here, they usually just carry on zipping until they have zipped off. Beautiful shots, Steve.
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I had followed this dragonfly around the yard for a few minutes hoping it would light someplace and happily it did. Once it found its happy place I had a few opportunities before it zipped. Thanks, Pete.
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At times most of the excitement happens right at our doorsteps!
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That is true, Tanja. I’ve some exciting finds right here at my door. Although I have seen this species a few times elsewhere this was my best opportunity and it gave me a few minutes of its time.
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Very neat. And I appreciated learning about obelisks in connection with insects. Only knew them from Asterix and Obelix. 😊
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🙂
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Wow, incredible detail! Amazing images!
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Thank you, Angela. It was a fun few minutes with this dragonfly.
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