I am pretty sure we don’t have any more dragonflies this year than any year…but I am certainly seeing a lot more. It began, suspiciously, when I got my new camera with its 810mm equivalent reach and efficient telephoto close up setting…which enables some very satisfying approaches to dragonflies. Suddenly they are everywhere. We have way more species in Southern Maine than I ever dreamed of, and I have now seen, and photographed, a good number of them. I am even learning their names…with the emphasis on learning. With each new fly, I go to my references and try to name it. I am never completely confident…and matters are not helped by the fact that even at this early stage I can tell that about a quarter of the images on the internet are mislabeled. 🙁

So I think, tentatively, that this is a Ruby Meadowhawk. I think, because if you do a search for images of Ruby Meadowhawk on the internet, at least a third of what turns up are obviously female Blue Dashers. Please, anyone who knows, correct me if I am wrong here.

Whatever this bug is, though, it is a striking contrast to the foliage around it. And you have to love the name: Ruby Meadowhawk…so I am really hoping I am right.

Nikon Coolpix P300 at 499mm equivalent field of view and Close Up mode, f5.7 @ 1/320th @ ISO 160.

Processed in Lightroom for Clarity and Sharpness.