To catch a dragonfly

[Faulkner]

We spent most of the day loading round bales on the trailer from the hay fields we recently cut. We had a short isolated rain shower after lunch and when the sun came back out so did thousands of dragonflies. We had to let the fields dry out a bit before we went back to work so I pulled out my camera to try and catch a picture of a dragonfly in flight, which I found was just about impossible for me to do.

About the time I'd given up the dragonfly pictured below obviously felt sorry for me and landed on a little sprout and stayed still long enough for me to ease up on it and snap a couple of pictures. They are interesting looking creatures.

 

[A-37]

Freeze

Superb photography.

 

[vonn]

Always enjoy your pics! Thanks

 

[LVSteve]

Nice shot. Looks like a Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) to me.

 

[finesse_r]

Nice shot. Looks like a Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) to me.

Is that nerd speak for bug?

 

[Stevens]

Here are a few that got caught on my back porch.
Steve W

 

[vt_shooter]

OP, Dragon flies tend to be very tough to photograph - they're skittish - and this is a great photo of one. Well done.

 

[eveled]

I had a friend who is now deceased, whose favorite way to spend a sunny afternoon was catching dragon flies (and drinking beer). It is actually amazingly easy. Sit still and point 1 finger up in the air and a dragon fly will come over and land on the tip of your finger.

Since watching him do it, I have noticed that they tend to land on the tip of car antennas too.

 

[ralph7]

I had a friend who is now deceased, whose favorite way to spend a sunny afternoon was catching dragon flies (and drinking beer). It is actually amazingly easy. Sit still and point 1 finger up in the air and a dragon fly will come over and land on the tip of your finger.

Since watching him do it, I have noticed that they tend to land on the tip of car antennas too.

I get the landing part, how did he catch them?

 

[Kinman]

I read somewhere that a dragonfly cannot distinguish between an asphalt covered road and a stream or river, part of the reason for their untimely demise on the front of your vehicle.

 

[policerevolvercollector]

VERY nice photo! You have a future as a professional photographer......if the whole policing thing doesn't work out!

 

[Faulkner]

VERY nice photo! You have a future as a professional photographer......if the whole policing thing doesn't work out!

You know how it is, when you turn a hobby into a profession it often takes the fun out of it.

 

[teesur]

Another great photo! Thanks again for posting. I have enjoyed watching you develop into a first class photographer
and look forward to future posts.
teesur.

 

[eveled]

I get the landing part, how did he catch them?

You can grab them by the tail with the other hand if you want to. It was more in the context of catching them to get a close look or a picture.

 

[Brian41]

Very nice picture and also enjoy your work.

My Mom called them darning needles when we were kids and told us they sew our mouths up if we lied. I was afraid of them for the longest time back then.

 

[johngalt]

The best thing about them is they eat mosquitos.

 

[soFlaNative]

This one let me catch it with my cell phone.

 

[red14]

I had a friend who is now deceased, whose favorite way to spend a sunny afternoon was catching dragon flies (and drinking beer). It is actually amazingly easy. Sit still and point 1 finger up in the air and a dragon fly will come over and land on the tip of your finger.

Since watching him do it, I have noticed that they tend to land on the tip of car antennas too.

Grandson uses this method.

 

[TucsonMTB]

About the time I'd given up the dragonfly pictured below obviously felt sorry for me and landed on a little sprout and stayed still long enough for me to ease up on it and snap a couple of pictures. They are interesting looking creatures.

Thank you for posting this great picture at full resolution, sir.

It looks great as a desktop background on the large, second monitor plugged into my laptop.

Life is good!

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

If you only had one day to do all your life's business, you would be skittish too.