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Tom Murray | profile | all galleries >> Arthropods - Arthropoda >> Insects - Insecta >> Dragonflies - Odonata - Anisoptera >> New England Dragonflies >> Ebony Boghaunter - Williamsonia fletcheri tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Ebony Boghaunter - Williamsonia fletcheri

old green eyes (male)
old green eyes (male)		 male
male		 male
male		 close up female
close up female		 female
female		 Ebony Boghaunter eating a Bluet
Ebony Boghaunter eating a Bluet
Ebony Boghaunter
Ebony Boghaunter		 immature male Ebony Boghaunter
immature male Ebony Boghaunter		 Ebony Boghaunter - Williamsonia fletcheri
Ebony Boghaunter - Williamsonia fletcheri		 Ebony Boghaunter - Williamsonia fletcheri
Ebony Boghaunter - Williamsonia fletcheri		 Ebony Boghaunter - Williamsonia fletcheri
Ebony Boghaunter - Williamsonia fletcheri

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Starry 30-May-2004 23:08
Thanks, Tom. I'll be looking over your other galleries. I have many of the same interests. Now to check out your 'shrooms! (I spotted my first parasol mushroom on Rte. ?202 or 32 on the way from Amherst to Petersham on summer as the VW was clipping along at ~50 mph. We got it on the way back ;)
Tom Murray30-May-2004 11:17
Boghaunters are an early season dragonfly. What you have seen in the summer swarms is probably a combination of darners and emeralds. The emeralds having bright green eyes, and the darners are large, 3"-4".
Starry 30-May-2004 08:22
Fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing these amazing images.

Of course I went right for the thumbnail labeled 'old green eyes'. I live close to where you take many of your woodland and conservation area shots. I don't know if what I've seen is a Ebony Boghaunter, but I will describe the sight a bit and perhaps you can reply.

One summer in late afternoon, I looked out from the upstair's (30 ft. up)windows to see these enormous dragonflies zooming around the fir trees and over the raspberry beds and gravel driveway. It looked like someone put Fort Devens' helicopters on speed. It was hard to get a good look at one because they were swarming and zooming, turning sharply, then zooming back. The general coloration seemed green and black. Each dragonfly was (I'd guess) about 3-4 inches long -- or maybe they just seemed that big.

I don't know what they were doing but I got the impression that they'd either recently hatched or emerged (whatever the drags do), or that some excellent food source had recently errupted. The next year (last year?), there was another similar performance, although that time the coloration seemed a bit different. The area is embedded in woods, conservation area, State forest, ponds, brooks and standing water in isolated areas in a glacial gravel desposit. There is no shortage of insects and mosquitoes.

Does your Ebony Boghaunter ever swarm or fly about the same area with tens of dozens of his pals?

I wanted to find out a bit about him, and found this article you might smile at:
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/6862557.htm?1c

Your photos are eye candy for me. Thanks again.
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