Seaside Dragonlet Head Shot: This was shot at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge which is an inviolate sanctuary expressly for migratory birds, located east of Milton, Delaware. This...

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

This was shot at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge which is an inviolate sanctuary expressly for migratory birds, located east of Milton, Delaware. This is a male Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice). Erythrodiplax are found mainly in salt marshes of the eastern United States. It is unique among dragonflies of the western hemisphere in that it can breed and larvae live in brackish water as well as the salt water of the costal marshes and back bays.

Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) M by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

-Doc

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Nice, Doc. Thanks for the info, too.

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

kpmac wrote:

Nice, Doc. Thanks for the info, too.

Hey Ken thanks for that but get off the computer and get yourself safe. I always wonder if you are going to be OK when I see there tropical storms bearing down on you. Be safe.
-Doc

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

A very interesting find. I would really like to see one of those. As I understand it, this is a remarkably small dragon.

Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida

A very handsome headshot but are you going to help with his resume also?

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

A very interesting find. I would really like to see one of those. As I understand it, this is a remarkably small dragon.

Yes Mark they are interesting and quite small. Kinda like a Meadowhawk. The color dimorphism is quite striking. Check out the color forms of the females in a good field guide. They have a pretty long flight season here in our area. Stay safe my friend. Thanks for looking in.
-Doc

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

Cwilson341 wrote:

A very handsome headshot but are you going to help with his resume also?

Oh Carol I always help my friends! I just love the metallic purple "face" (frons) and the chestnut eyes. Thanks for looking in Carol. Stay safe and well.
-Doc

Muddyvalley Loc: McMinnville, Oregon

Very cool shot Doc! I don't believe I've ever seen a dragonlet. That one is really attractive with that metallic face. How long are these? What differentiates them from the meadowhawks which are pretty small in their own right? Also....ISO 4000! Impressive.

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

An interesting post Doc. Nerite snails are another creature that utilise brackish water to breed in even though they are fresh water snails as adults. I wondered if it is was a defensive measure to keep vulnerable youngsters safe from being eaten or swept away by currents. Nature is so inventive.

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

Muddyvalley wrote:

Very cool shot Doc! I don't believe I've ever seen a dragonlet. That one is really attractive with that metallic face. How long are these? What differentiates them from the meadowhawks which are pretty small in their own right? Also....ISO 4000! Impressive.

Thanks Victor! you probably won't see one in your area. There are no records of [[i]Erythrodiplax[/i] in part of the US. I love the face too and the chestnut eyes. Meadowhawks and Dragonlets are both Libellulids but Meadowhawks are genius Sympetrum. Meadowhawks run in the neighborhood of a few centimeters longer. The Little Blue Dragonlets of the south are pretty cool too. They will "pose" for pictures but they seldom perch up so you get a sand or forest floor background.
-Doc

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

EnglishBrenda wrote:

An interesting post Doc. Nerite snails are another creature that utilise brackish water to breed in even though they are fresh water snails as adults. I wondered if it is was a defensive measure to keep vulnerable youngsters safe from being eaten or swept away by currents. Nature is so inventive.

Yes Brenda these guys are not catadromous like fish they are more euryhaline where they can stand a wide range of salinity. The larvae don't move far from where they hatched. The salt marshes and back bays have open expanses of water or small streams but are very dense with emergent plants and the need not leave that protection because there are plenty of mosquito larvae for them among the grasses. Have a great day Brenda and stay safe and well!
-Doc

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

docshark wrote:

Yes Brenda these guys are not catadromous like fish they are more euryhaline where they can stand a wide range of salinity. The larvae don't move far from where they hatched. The salt marshes and back bays have open expanses of water or small streams but are very dense with emergent plants and the need not leave that protection because there are plenty of mosquito larvae for them among the grasses. Have a great day Brenda and stay safe and well!
-Doc

Thanks for the info Doc, you keep safe too.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Doc, great job of documentation along with an educational narrative.

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

sippyjug104 wrote:

Doc, great job of documentation along with an educational narrative.

So glad you thought so Gary. I’m learning more about some of the dragons I didn’t see back in PA including their habits, habitats and flight seasons. As always I appreciate you taking the time to look in and commenting.
Doc

Paul Diamond Loc: Atlanta, GA, USA

Thanks for sharing your great photo. I'm always amazed at the great variety of dragonflys. And they are one of my favorite subjects.