There are many varieties of Dragonflies in the marsh.
They are always a challenge to photograph.
But they are also living examples of the maxim:
"The closer you look, the more you see."
Many sizes and wing patterns...
offer inviting puzzles to identify.
They will choose a perch, fly away the instant before you click the shutter.
and then return to the same perch, saying... "did you get that?"
Damsel flies in a private moment.
Dragon flies in a private moment... The eggs laid will not hatch until next spring.
The Nymphs can stay in the water and grow for up to 4 years. Eventually, they leave the water ...
And hatch into adults.
The adults take a month or so to mature and live for 2 to 4 months, eating insects, laying eggs and die befor ethe heavy frosts of fall.