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GalleryNATURETINY SURPRISESDRAGONFLIES ... Dot-tailed Whiteface Dragonfly

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This guy is common through the northern United States, and across Canada. And though some Dragonflies prefer perching higher up, the Dot-tailed Whiteface Dragonfly is happy to sun on the ground - or as with our sightings, floating on lily pads or other vegetation close to the water.

Based on the condition of its two left wings - both badly torn - this one has probably led a really full life already. I would imagine that kind of damage would affect its flying to a degree, so it probably won't put on as many stunning aerial displays as previously. Here's another example of a winged specialist after a serious dust-up.

Thanks to Jim Johnson's Northwest Dragonflier website, I saw a fascinating slo-mo clip of dragonflies capturing prey in flight. In it, they showed a dragonfly with one of its wings half gone, and still able to do aerial stunts. So even great damage to the wings doesn't mean the pilot is down.