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Project Noah Nature School
Ladona julia
Beautiful café au lait Dragonfly found in Glendalough State Park in June. I found them for 7-10 days and then nothing.
State Park surrounded by woods, prairie, wetlands and bordered by farmlands. Often perched on a reed, grass blade, dead stalk or something similar that gave them a height advantage for seeing over the grasses/reeds and where they could fly away into deeper flora if the need arose.
Prior to this past summer I put all dragonflies in the category of Dragonflies never realizing how varied, colorful and beautifully unique they are. That two dragonflies could have completely different coloring and yet be the same dragonfly only male verses female or young. Having watched and photographed birds for many years it finally clicked that like birds, their color, shape and size differentiated them from each other. Like putting a Common Loon in the same class as the Bald Eagle, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Turkey Vulture...all birds but so completely different in their size, shape, diet, songs, habitat, etc... I also came to realize that each subspecies has its day in the spot light or rather 5-10 days before it disappears off the radar screen. Once I realized these things, I was hooked. All summer long in 90+ degree Fahrenheit and high (85+) humidity I was out there searching for the next dragon to dazzle me. When biting flies, deerflies and horseflies got to be a problem, I started donning a bee costume that helped keep my skin somewhat welt-free. And, I forgot to mention, I noticed Dragonflies eating these same biting insects so you'll notice that where the Dragonflies are the thickest, there tend to be less horseflies or will be in a day or three. "-)
Spotted on Jun 4, 2012
Submitted on Sep 17, 2012
