Dragonflies

Dragonflies were one of the earliest insects to arise. They have the most primitive flight structure of all the flying insects. While their wing and muscle structure is primitive it is quite effective. This insects are extremely agile fliers. They are predatory both as larva and as adults. Larva feed on other insects, small fish, and amphibian larvae. Adults feed on-the-fly catching other insects, including other dragonflies, then eat their catch while cruising. Dragonflies are quickly identified from damselflies based on their holding the wings straight out from the body when at rest.  Below are some pictures of dragonfly adults and larvae that have been identified here at BNL.

Click on the thumbnails to view a larger picture.

   Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerate) (male)

   Blue Corporal (Libellula deplanata)

   Blue Corporal (Libellula deplanata) (male)

   Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)

   Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) (male)

   Cherry-Faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum) (male)

   Common Green Darner (Anax junius)

   Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) (female)

   Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) (emergent female)

   Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera)

   Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)

   Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) (male)

   Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)

   Slaty Skimmer and Blue Dasher

   Swamp Darner (Epiaeschna heros)

   Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) (male)

   White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum) (male)

   Williamson's Emerald (Somatochlora williamsoni)

Last Modified: November 14, 2008
Please forward all questions about this site to: Karen Ratel

One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

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