28 May 2004

The widow dragonfly

Forrest M. Mims III

A dozen or more species of dragonflies are patrolling the fields and the sunny paths at Geronimo Creek Observatory in South Texas. The widow dragonfly (Libellula luctuosa) shown here is an especially tame species. With a little patience, it's possible to catch this species in your hand or take ultra close up photographs like this one.

Widow dragonflies are found near small bodies of water from the Atlantic Coast of the United States to a line from Texas to North Dakota. The adults catch and eat small flying insects. They are slow fliers with large, broad wings.