Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Girl in the Green Jacket

Dragonflies always amaze us with their abilities to come in so many colors and sizes. We love that they hang around eating smaller and more annoying insects like mosquitoes, and that when they mate, they often form a heart-shaped duo. One of the more common dragonflies in Florida is the Common Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis), sometimes called the Green Jacket. The name "Green Jacket" is really only appropriate for females of the species, though - the males are a powdery blue color.

Female Common Pondhawk

Male Common Pondhawk

Dragonflies are amazing in flight, with some species reaching speeds over 40 miles per hour. Their individual wing control allows them to make very precise maneuvers, perfect for plucking a pesky mosquito from mid-air. We always welcome natural mosquito control in My Florida Backyard, and when it comes in such beautifully-colored packaging, we just can't lose!

If you're interested in learning more about dragonflies and their relatives, damselflies, click here to read a post I wrote for Tales From a Butterfly Garden.
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

4 comments:

  1. daisy gSeptember 21, 2011 at 6:02 AM

    We've had TONS of dragonflies in our yard, especially in the afternoon. Thanks for the information about the differences in color! Looks like we've got lots of boys and girls out there!

    ReplyDelete
  2. FlowerLady LorraineSeptember 21, 2011 at 7:55 AM

    We've been having LOTS of dragonflies too and I always enjoy them flitting and zipping around the gardens. They are fascinating and look like they are looking right at you and listening to every word you are saying.

    That's really amazing about the color differences.

    Have a great day.

    FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  3. sherryocalaSeptember 22, 2011 at 12:04 AM

    FloridaGirl, those dragonflies are the coolest!! And your photos perfect. I like how their wings are riveted to their backs. :))

    ReplyDelete
  4. AmberSeptember 22, 2011 at 5:15 PM

    I have tons of dragonflies too, but they barely stop long enough for me to look at them let alone take a picture. What a blessing to have a camera ready to take such a beautiful picture.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)