Male Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly in northern UtahMale Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly in northern Utah – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Anyone who knows me, even just a little bit, knows I can’t resist photographing dragonflies when I don’t have birds in my viewfinder. Sometimes even when there are birds nearby.

Before I developed my passion, aka obsession, for photographing birds and prior to purchasing my long lenses I could be found walking around gardens and wild areas of Florida photographing flowers, spiders, butterflies, bees, and dragonflies. I learned there that if I walked slowly and moved cautiously I could photograph the bees, butterflies, and dragonflies even with a simple point & shoot camera.

Now that I have longer lenses there are times I can easily photograph dragonflies from mobile blinds.

Male Twelve-spotted Skimmer above a deceased Variegated Meadowhawk, Box Elder County, UtahMale Twelve-spotted Skimmer above a deceased Variegated Meadowhawk – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Five days ago I photographed a lifer dragonfly when I found a male Twelve-spotted Skimmer that was hanging around a spring-fed seep next to a gravel road in Box Elder County.

For a bit it was also hanging around a deceased Variegated Meadowhawk dragonfly that was hung up in a spider web that was wrapped around a cattail.

Until five days ago I’d never seen or photographed a Twelve-spotted Skimmer.

Resting male Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly, Box Elder County, UtahResting male Twelve-spotted Skimmer dragonfly – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I do wish the Twelve-spotted Skimmer had turned around to look at me when it flew to the top of the cattail but I am glad I had it in my viewfinder even for a short period of time.

Eight-spotted Skimmer male, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, UtahEight-spotted Skimmer male – Nikon D810, f11, 1/500, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

We also have Eight-spotted Skimmer dragonflies in northern Utah that look very similar to the Twelve-spotted Skimmers so I thought I would share a photo of one for visual comparison. Looking at the two dragonflies quickly a person might think that they are the same species but differences stand out if you count the dark spots on their wings!

Eight-spotted Skimmers (Libellula forensis) have two large, dark patches or spots per wing and Twelve-spotted Skimmers (Libellula pulchella) have three per wing.

What can I say? I love birds the most but I also enjoy photographing other things with wings.

Life is good. Stay safe.

Mia

Click here to see more of my insect and spider photos.