Changelings

My project for the day was to go out and take some pictures of the great variety of Swallowtails that are out and about this time of year, and do a blog. However somebody tipped off the butterflies, for I couldn't find any, or perhaps like the French World Cup team, they just didn't feel in the mood to be out this morning! Anyway I did find some interesting Dragonflies, again very common this time of year due to the lagoon in back. I tried to look up their names in a reference book, but soon became completely confused....they all seem alike.

 I did learn one thing I didn't know, dragonflies can change color as they mature. I always thought that once they emerged from the water and took flight, whatever color they were, well that's what they were. Not so, many males  emerge the color of females and as they approach breeding age, change color. So I may see a brown one today and see the same one weeks later, but this time he will be blue! Most of the dragonflies in this blog are Skimmers, except the green one, which is a female Eastern Pondhawk. I am rather fond of our dragon flies, they are the one thing deerfly shy away from, many times I've had a dragonfly pick off a deerfly inches from my face !