Blue Dasher

by Deena Stoddard

Title

Blue Dasher

Artist

Deena Stoddard

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

The Blue Dasher is one of the best known North American skimmers. It occurs from southern Canada south through Mexico and Belize, the Bahamas and Cuba.

The males are easily recognized due to the yellow-striped thorax, metallic-green eyes, mostly white face, and pale blue abdomen, often with a dark tip.

The life history and behavior of blue dashers has been well studied. The larvae live in still waters like ponds, marshes, swamps, and ditches, as well as slow moving streams. Blue dasher females are elusive. They oviposit among vegetation, often accompanied by a guarding male. Copulation usually occurs in flight and lasts only for a few seconds. Blue dasher males are usually very conspicuous. They spend much of their time perched on aquatic vegetation or on shrubs and trees near the breeding habitat. The wings may be folded forward to cover the eyes. In mid-summer, they often assume the obelisk posture with the abdomen raised perpendicular to the ground. From time to time, a male will dash after small flying insects, soon returning to its perch to consume the prey. Males are territorial, aggressively engaging with intruders both at feeding and at breeding sites.

This male was captured in rural southwest Missouri.



All images © 2011-2020 Deena Stoddard ~ All Rights Reserved

Uploaded

June 30th, 2014

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