Backyard and Beyond

I saw my first living dragonfly outside my windows on Saturday. I’d seen a couple of Common Green Darners here and there during the last few weeks, but spotting an unidentified dragon over 6th Avenue was the real start of the summer flying season for me. On the same day around Green-Wood’s Sylvan Water, I saw just a handful of dragons, but there were at least three species: Common Green Darner, Black Saddlebags, and one of the gliders. I also saw this Familiar Bluet damselfly, also one of just a handful. These were the first damsels I’ve seen this year. Also spotted this exuvia, or shed husk, of the aquatic nymph stage of a dragonfly. Several of the dragonfly species seen at the moment are migratory, but some are local breeders.