Damsels Take Center Stage This Monday

It seems to me that I take many more photo's of dragonflies than damselflies. I think that is because the dragonflies are more prominent immediately around the pond. Most of the damselflies I see at the pond are the smaller ones and they tend to visit areas of the pond that are in the shade. They are much more prevalent in the later afternoon and early evening when most of the dragonflies have left.

When I leave the pond and venture into the woods and down the streams nearby, however, I run into a much wider variety of damselflies and fewer dragonflies. The damsels tend to prefer shady type areas dappled with a bit of sun. Many of them also prefer to perch on leaves and blades of grass compared to the dragons who often go for more sturdy perches such as sticks and limbs.

When the damsels perch on leaves in a spot of sunlight they provide excellent opportunities for some interesting shots. This is one of my favorite photo's. The dark wings and body are almost invisible in this small version of the photo, but I find the shadow it casts on the leaves enchanting. (Open in a larger view for better look at the damselfly itself.)

Damselflies also tend to vary more in size and wing characteristics than the dragonflies around the pondand fields here. Many are even much smaller than this golden beauty and have amazing arrays of colors.

And, as an added bonus, damsels are often seen in unusual positions with their bodies bent at one or more of the several joints. Often this is related to mating or the laying of eggs. I'm working on getting some video of both damsels and dragons to share with you in future posts so be sure to check back with us. I've already shot several test videos and I'm improving, but I want to wait until I get some great takes before posting them.