— I became interested in photographing odonates back in the spring of 2021. José Madrigal, a master macro photographer, offered a workshop in his property in central Texas. I attended it and learned the settings to photograph bees and odonates in flight. There were only six attendees, and that allowed for a lot of one-on-one instruction. It was such a successful workshop that I returned for a second time in the fall.
There are approximately 6,000 known species of odonates, which include dragonflies and damselflies. It is simple to distinguish a dragonfly from a damselfly. Dragonflies, when resting, hold their wings perpendicular to their bodies and flat out, such as the Neon Skimmers below. On the other hand, damselflies usually fold their wings up and hold them together across their bodies, such as in the opening photo with an American Rubyspot. Both dragonflies and damselflies play several important roles in the environment.
As pest control, odonates are voracious predators, especially during their larval stage. They feed on various insects, including mosquitoes, flies, and agricultural pests. This makes them effective natural pest control agents, helping to keep populations of these pests in check.
As indicator species, they are sensitive to changes in water quality and habitat conditions. Their presence or absence can indicate the overall health of an ecosystem. Monitoring odonate populations can provide valuable insights into the state of freshwater habitats and their potential ecological disturbances.
They are also pollinators. While their primary diet consists of insects, dragonflies and some damselflies also contribute to pollination. When they visit flowers to feed on nectar, they inadvertently transfer pollen from one flower to another, assisting in plant reproduction.
They also play an important role in biodiversity and food web balance. Odonates are an integral part of the food chain, both as predators and as prey. Their presence supports biodiversity by providing a food source for various other organisms, including fish, birds, and other insects.
Overall, odonates play a significant ecological role by helping to maintain balanced ecosystems and contributing to the overall health and functioning of the environment.
This post is in response to Denzil’s Nature call for his nature photo challenge on dragonflies.
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Marie
It is amazing that anything can fly on those delicate wings.
Egídio Leitão
It truly is. Thanks for the comment, ,Marie.
Anita
Interesting facts Egídio and gorgeous macro photos!!
Egídio Leitão
Anita, thank you for the feedback and compliment.
Anita
It seems that it is only possible to write a comment via the “Reader” so I’ll try again.
Egídio Leitão
I’ll have to try that on the site I experienced the same problem. Thanks for pointing it out.
Anita
I wrote a comment, it disappeared (
Egídio Leitão
Anita, I noticed the same thing when I wrote a note in another blog. It vanished. I think WordPress is having issues.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
these are absolutely beautiful
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Ritva.
margaret21
These are wonderful captures, and I’ve learnt a bit too. You’ve used the term odonate before. Perhaps this time I’ll remember what it means!
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, Margaret.
Rebecca Cuningham
Learned two things: the word odonate and the fact that they are an indicator species. Thanks. Love to see them in our yard between two lakes.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Rebecca.
Anne Sandler
Beautiful captures!
Egídio Leitão
Thank you so much, Anne.