Re: Dragonflies
I also have the bright red dragonflies here in Alameda (on the east side
of San Francisco Bay). From the "California Insects" book I believe them
to be Dusky Skimmers (Sympetrum illotum) which are described as having
brilliant red abdomen contrasting with dull brownish red wings. They've
found my pond and quite a few hatch out each May. Right now the naiads for
next spring are 3.8 to 1/2 inch long. I was surprised and somewhat
dismayed to find a paper wasp munching on a newly hatched adult.
Barry Garcia wrote:
> This is kind of a chat item, but i was out in the backyard watering my
> tomato patch, when i saw a very beautiful red bodied dragonfly come
> into the yard. I had never seen one like that before. Even its eyes
> were reddish. The red was kind of a 'Chinese red' color. I know it
> wasn't a Damselfly since the wings were held out when it stopped on a
> blade of grass. I have seen Dragonflies before but they were of the
> blue or green metallic types.
>
> ____________________________________________________________________
>
> "Raw to the floor like reservoir dogs" - A.V. Helden
> ____________________________________________________________________
--
Tom Schweich schweich@well.com
http://www.well.com/user/schweich/
