A Male Blue Dasher

Here is another dragonfly spotted during our May visit to the Phinizy Swamp Nature Park near Augusta, GA. This is a male Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis). It was perched on the end of some vegetation along the boardwalk. This unusual perching style with the wings angled forward is characteristic of the Blue Dasher.

Dragonflies hunt their prey using different techniques. Some will patrol and catch prey on the wing when it is spotted during a flight. The Blue Dasher is reported to be an ambush predator. They perch in a likely location and dart out to capture prey that happens to pass by.