Look closely at the following photo — there’s a dragonfly in there somewhere!
21 May 2019 | PNC. William County, VA | Lancet Clubtail (female)
A Lancet Clubtail dragonfly (Phanogomphus exilis) was spotted by Gary Myers at an undisclosed location in Prince William County, Virginia USA. The dragonfly is perched on leaf litter in a seepage area upstream from a small pond.
Female and male terminal appendages
This individual is a female, as indicated by her rounded hind wings and terminal appendages. (Notice the “bonus bug” to the right of the label for cercus.)
21 May 2019 | PNC. William County, VA | Lancet Clubtail (female)
Contrast the appearance of those female field marks with males of the same species.
03 MAY 2017 | Fairfax County, VA | Lancet Clubtail (male)
Related Resource: Odonate Terminal Appendages — single-topic field guides for dragonflies and damselflies featuring both text and annotated photos.
Copyright © 2019 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: cerci, Family Gomphidae (Clubtails), female, Lancet Clubtail dragonfly, Phanogomphus exilis, Prince William County, terminal appendages, Virginia
September 16, 2019 at 8:27 am |
Photos like this make me wonder just how many odes I walk by every day with no clue.
September 16, 2019 at 7:23 pm |
I’m guessing more than we realize. Many times the only way I see the really well-camouflaged species is when they fly from one spot to another.