Common Whitetail (Libellula lydia)
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The common whitetail is a type of king skimmer, a group of fast-flying robust dragonflies. Because there are several similar species found in the garden, they tend to compete with each other for territories over the ponds, but each male is usually more intent on chasing off those rivals of his own species. Some dragonflies do not emerge from their larval shells sexually mature. It can take at least a week before they attain full coloration and are then ready to mate. The photo above shows a mature male whitetail, while the one below shows an immature male. Body colors on the young insect are closer to a female, but the wing patterns (less prominent in females) are those of a male.
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class: Insecta / order: Odonata / family: Libellulidae / genus: Libellula / species: lydia
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