Monday, July 29, 2024

Gliding in

  

Small swarms of these dragonflies have been visible for several days now, but I've mostly seen them zipping around, chasing small insect prey.  Today I finally caught up with one perched, so here you go  a nice view of a Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea).  The spots can be subtle, but look for the dark brown patches along the inside edge of each hind wing.  [You can click on the image for a larger version.]

Although fewer in number, there have also been some Wandering Gliders (Pantala flavescens) in the mix.  I didn't seen one perched, but here's a Wandering Glider in flight (below).  Note the more golden coloration (rather than looking reddish brown in flight), and the lack of a dark spot along the inside edge of the hind wing:

 
Both species are known as long-distance dispersers, and summer is a great time of year to watch for them, especially after warm conditions.

2 comments:

  1. Oh, how I love the patterns on the back of the Spot-Winged Glider! Such a beautiful critter.

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  2. Me, too!

    Worthwhile to look up close when they're perched!

    :) Jackie

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