Darners, of the family Aeschnidae, are our largest dragonflies. Besides their large size (some are more than 3 inches in length), darners can be distinguished by their large eyes that meet in a long seam on the top of their head. Their abdomens also tend to be long and narrow, perhaps reminiscent of a darning needle. They also tend perch vertically, with their heads facing up, either by hanging from branches or clinging flat against the trunk of a tree,…
The Libellulidae family, also known as skimmers, is the largest and most diverse family of dragonflies worldwide, with more than 1,000 species. Extremely diverse in both colors and patterns, skimmers can rival butterflies in terms of their bold coloration. Widely varying colors and patterns often allow for relatively easy identification of male skimmers in the field, based on a combination of body, eye and wing color and pattern. Immature males and females, however, often look very different and can lead…
Last night the temperature dropped below freezing for the first time this season – down to 18 degrees, in fact. Although there wasn’t as much frost as I would’ve imagined, there was ice. (Last year’s first frost happened ten days earlier – October 31.) While taking a walk this morning near Santuit Pond in Mashpee, with the temperatures still hovering around 32 degrees, I observed frozen ditches, puddles and ponds. The surface of this small pond had frozen. Interesting ice…