Blue-winged Helicopter Damselfly

Blue-winged Helicopter Damselfly: Los Cosingos Santuary, Costa Rica, December 2022 — We were surprised to find this huge damselfly, the largest in the world, with a wingspan often over seven inches, flying through a clearing at Los Cosingos, just beyond the Alexander Skutch home. They are more common around wetlands and in the mangrove forests of Costa Rica and Central America than in the foothills…but there it was. The photo does not do it justice. You have to see one in flight with those four huge wings helicoptering above the body as it levitates along the forest edge. I tried for flight shots, but the group was more interested in moving on to the next bird and my time was limited. So you will just have to take my word for it…those wings are over three and half inches long! Sony Rx10iv at 447mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

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