May 29th, 2006
a beautiful mosaic
Over the past couple of days, I’ve shot a lot of interesting photos that I’m hoping to post later this week. I’m just starting to sort through everything, do some edits, and upload my favourites, but wanted to post one of the nicest finds of the weekend. I’m quite certain this is a Springtime Darner (Basiaeschna janata) – a species of dragonfly that is usually grouped with the Mosaic Darners (genus Aeshna). Above is a side view of it perched on a fallen tree. I found it hunting in a meadow not too far from a lake. It was doing a lot of flying, but by waiting patiently, I was able to get this shot when the darner finally took a break — possibly perching to eat prey which it might have finished just before I approached.
Now, while the above photo is quite nice, what I really wanted to show you is a detail of the thorax and abdomen. I can’t really post the version I’d like you to see because it’s just too large for the format of this page, but I’ve linked it to the thumbnail shot on the left. You can click on it to see a version that is 9 inches wide by 18 inches tall (approx. 135 kb).
The abdomen markings are wonderful — like tarnished copper with chips of a soft sky blue. The area of the upper thorax where the wings join the body seems particularly beautiful — small bits of soft peach and mint surrounded by the dark network of the attaching wing structure. It all reminds me of heavily leaded windows with opaque stained glass. I can certainly see why the dragonfly motif appealed so much to Louis Comfort Tiffany.
A good part of the reason that I photograph certain creatures and objects is to be able to see them in greater detail. I’m interested in knowing more about the structure of all things. To me, being able to take photos and then examine them at full-size on my computer is so incredible – and something which I enjoy being able to share with others.
May 30th, 2006 at 12:59 am
I really like these photos…a very beautiful insect.
June 25th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
[…] 4.) A couple of my own favourite photos taken during the past moth and posted here at Burning Silo. * A mating pair of One-eyed Sphinx moths (Smerinthus cerisyi) * A dragonfly that would have inspired Louis Tiffany. * A lovely mossy green caterpillar with a kabuki headdress. And there you have it — this month’s edition of Circus of the Spineless! Thanks to everyone who dropped by to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of COTS, and perhaps discovered some very neat blogs that you’ll want to explore. Also, a big thank-you to all of the contributors. If I’ve goofed up any of the links, please let me know! If you sent something in and I seem to have missed posting it, let me know (I used almost everything I was sent). If you want to know more about this carnival, or would like to submit posts or photos for the next edition, be sure to visit the carnival’s home website for more information and the schedule for future carnivals. […]