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Common Green Darner
Anax junius
43.9399, -91.4
Field Notes
Description:
These are among the largest dragonflies in Minnesota with a length and wingspan of about three inches. They have a green thorax; males have a blue abdomen while females have a reddish abdomen.
Habitat:
I often find these large dragonflies in fields and near wetlands, where they breed. They are migratory, however, and can be found in all sorts of habitat, except heavy forest.
Notes:
These large insects lay eggs in aquatic plants and the nymphs live in water until they crawl ashore and molt into the adult form. I've seen adults in downtown St. Paul (MN), but often find them both near water features and in uplands.
I had been trying to photograph flying dragonflies for several years, quite unsuccessfully. On this day, however, this particular dragonfly came flitting past and I got three good shots of it.
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