Stream Cruiser

In past years, one of my favorite and most often repeated post was on the first dragonfly that I spotted for the year, and usually, as you'd know if you've been gracing this endeavor for a while, the debut ode would be the Blue Corporal, which I'd spot on the slopes of Lantern Hill. Sometimes, I'd find the first one as early as the end of April, although, more typically, the premier of the odonate season would be in the first week of May. This year, however, the odes have been exceedingly late, and I've been too busy to spend time recently on Lantern Hill, so I can't vouch for when... or if... the Corporals first appeared. Around here, however, dragonflies have been conspicuously absent—until today, when, on an afternoon trek along the Blue-blazed trail off the Wyassup Lake area, I spotted several different species in an area that was logged to encourage New England Cottontail rabbits. Here's one of my favorites: a Clubtail mimic known as a Stream Cruiser. Definitely handsome beast.