I have been astonished by the variety of dragonfly species inhabiting a fairly small tract of land here in St-Laurent, Quebec. I present them here with their common and scientific names:
Female or immature male Dot-tailed Whiteface, leucorrhinia intacta
Belted Whiteface, leucorrhinia proxima
Female Twelve-spotted Skimmer, libellula pulchella
Male Twelve-spotted Skimmer, libellula pulchella
Immature male Common Whitetail, plathemis lydia
Male Common Whitetail, plathemis lydia
Four-spotted Skimmer, libellula quadrimaculata
White-faced Meadowhawk, sympetrum obtrusum
Immature male or adult female Widow Skimmer, libellula luctuosa
Lance-tipped Darner, aeshna constricta
Canada Darner, aeshna canadensis - mating
Wandering Glider, pantala flavescens
Wandering Glider, pantala flavescens
Male Elusive Clubtail, stylurus notatus
Female Elusive Clubtail, stylurus notatus
Spot-winged Glider, pantala hymenaea
Ruby Meadowhawk, sympetrum rubicundulum
Immature Common Green Darner, anax junius
Female Swift River Cruiser, macromia illinoiensis
Male Swift River Cruiser, macromia illinoiensis
This last dragonfly inspired me to write the following verse:
EMERALD EYES
With emerald eyes
they scan the skies
And as they rise
I realize
with no surprise
what this implies -
they're dragonflies!