CLOSED: What Dragonfly is this?

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Sneirish Swansea, MA(Zone 6b) Jul 21, 2008

I have looked at hundreds of pictures, but just can't figure it out. The upper body/abdomen was a shiny metallic bronzey color, reflecting sunlight in the photo. About 3 to 4 incles long.

Thumbnail by Sneirish
Post #5297280
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wallaby1 Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a) Jul 22, 2008

This site will tell you which ones you have, then all you have to do is find it! Look under Libellulidae.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/insects/dfly/ma/toc.htm

Spangled Skimmer (Libellula cyanea) looks close,

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/insects/dfly/ma/372.htm

Female Libellula cyanea:

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Libellula%20cyanea&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

The tail looks broader but this seems to vary maybe according to age or eggs, also the wing 'tab' looks white but yours is at an angle and the sun or flash can make them look white, there looks to be some dark areas on the tips on yours but it could be worn.

Unless of course there is another very similar.

Libellula needhami has very obvious yellow wing veination, a narrower tail stripe and no white on the sides of the thorax.

http://i.pbase.com/g1/27/452127/2/97617797.lEuLGl0o.jpg

Libellula vibrans similar but has very dark wing tips,

http://images.google.co.uk/images?um=1&hl=en&q=Libellula+vibrans&btnG=Search+Images

My vote is for the female Libellula cyanea.












Post #5302918
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Sneirish Swansea, MA(Zone 6b) Jul 24, 2008

Thank you. I agree that the Spangled Skimmer is the closest I have seen so far. The body looks right, but the wings seem different. I don't know enough about the subject. Maybe the wings change with maturity? Thanks for your help.

Post #5310239
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wallaby1 Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a) Jul 24, 2008

From what I have seen the wings do change with maturity, the pterostigma can also appear white when the sun is shining on them, I don't think there are any that actually have white pterostigma. The angle at which the pic is taken also can confuse.

I went through all the others in the same family, nothing else matched.

Post #5311521
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