The following galleries show several Common Whitetail dragonflies (Plathemis lydia) spotted at Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge and Huntley Meadows Park. Notice the subtle difference in coloration that may be used to identify young- and old male Common Whitetails.
The individuals shown in the preceding gallery are young males, as indicated by the white pruinescence partially covering their abdomen.
The individuals shown in the following gallery are mature males, as indicated by the white pruinescence covering their abdomen completely.
Contrast the appearance of young- and mature male Common Whitetail dragonflies versus an immature male of the same species.
Copyright © 2013 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, Common Whitetail dragonfly, Huntley Meadows Park, mature male, Plathemis lydia, pruinescence, wildlife photography, young male
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May 7, 2018 at 4:00 am |
[…] Young male Common Whitetails begin to develop white pruinescence that changes the color of their abdomen from brown to white, hence the common name for this species. […]