June 29th, 2012

This dragonfly appears to be doing a headstand – in odo lingo (dragonfly language) it’s called obelisking.  Among the more than 300 N.A species of dragonflies, only 30 or so species are known to do this, including the one shown here, the calico pennant.  In hot weather they perch and raise their abdomens in an effort to reduce the surface area exposed to the sun.

Blue dashers characteristically strike  this pose but I’ve never seen it done by pennants so I followed up with a bit of research and learned about the term obelisking.

The calico pennant is one that got me interested in dragonflies a few years ago because of the intricate pattern at the base of it’s wings.  The photo above is of a juvenile male, the one below an adult male.  The yellow markings on the abdomen along with the wing markings will turn a deep red as it matures.