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Nearby Nature - Northern Virginia Dragonflies & Damselflies |
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| Skimmers (Family Libellulidae) - This is a large and common group of dragonflies. Skimmers get their name from the behaviour of females, which skim across the waters surface periodically dipping the tip of the abdomen into the water to deposit eggs. These are large, showy dragonflies with long wings that are often brightly colored. Males are usually more colorful than females. Most skimmer species live around slow moving water, such as ponds and wetland pools. |
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Golden-winged Skimmer |
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| Darners (Family Aeshnidae) |
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| Clubtails (Family Gomphidae) |
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| Spiketails (Family Cordulegastridae) |
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| Broad-wing Damselflies (Family Calopterygidae): Large and showy, members of this family have rounded wings that are not sharply narrowed at the base. Most species have black or half-black wings. All live near streams where they are usually found perched horizontally on vegetation fairly low to the ground. |
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| Spreadwing Damselflies (Family Lestidae): Large, slender damselflies with clear wings. They prefer prefer still water habitats, although some species can be found near slow-moving water. They hold their wings partly open when perched, usually on stems with their body angled down. |
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| Pond Damselflies (Family Coenagrionidae):The largest group of damselflies in our area, nearly all species have clear wings that narrow at the base. Small to medium-sized, they typically perch horozontally with their wings pressed together over the back. While many are found near ponds, members of this diverse family frequent a variety of habitats, including wetlands and streams. |
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