Last month, while visiting Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, I was able to take quite a few female and male Common Whitetail dragonfly photos. This dragonfly species seemed to be everywhere I looked at the refuge.
Female Common Whitetail dragonfly on a fallen tree – Canon R7, f8, 1/1000, ISO 320, -0.3 EV, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500m, natural light
I had photographed this species in Virginia in 2019 using my cell phone. These are my images that I took using the mirrorless Canon R7 that my friend Steve Creek lent me while I was visiting him.
This female Common Whitetail dragonfly posed in the soft morning light on a decaying, fallen tree trunk at the refuge. She looked so pretty that I couldn’t resist taking photos of her.
Male Common Whitetail dragonfly on a fallen tree – Canon R7, f8, 1/800, ISO 640, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500m, natural light
I also found several males on other decomposing tree trunks on the refuge that I knew I wanted images of too. When observing the males, it is easy to see how they got their name because of their bright white tails.
Common Whitetail dragonflies are found across much of North America. iNaturalist lists them as “critically imperiled” in Utah, which may be why I’ve never photographed them here.
These Common Whitetail dragonflies, like other dragonflies and damselflies, consume mosquitoes and other small flying insects. Anything that eats those blood-sucking mosquitoes is wonderful, in my opinion.
It was terrific to see so many of these and other dragonfly species at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in flight, feeding, and resting. I truly enjoyed observing them all.
Happy 4th of July.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my insect and spider photos.
Happy 4th of July to everyone. Yes they are lovely little creatures. I see the red or pink and blue ones in my area most of the time.
Yet more winged wonders. Thank you.