Dragonflies

Dragonflies are my favorite insect and I eagerly await their final form each summer. Below are a few highlights.

Variegated Meadowhawk (female): 

Eastern Pondhawk (female):

Eastern Pondhawks mating (male on left):

I think this is a female Saffron-Winged Meadowhawk:

Roseate Skimmer (male):

Eastern Amberwing (female):

Autumn Meadowhawk (male):

Blue Dasher (male):

Blue Dashers are the most common dragonfly I see in the NYC area, and they are the most cooperative for photos, so I always come away with more photos of them than any other.

Female:

Female with two different colored eyes:

Male:

Mating (male on left):

Seeing the dragonflies mate and lay their eggs in water is bittersweet as I know that's the end of the life cycle. It's also a sign of the changing seasons and fall is not too far away.