EASTERN AMBERWING
Male Eastern Amberwing. This is one of our smallest dragonflies. (Only the rare Elfin Skimmer is smaller.) Eastern Amberwings are abundant in our area.
Female Eastern Amberwing. The females have spotted wings and are thought to be wasp mimics.
This is a teneral Eastern Amberwing. Its wings are still pressed tightly together, but they will soon unfurl.
Eastern Amberwings live around ponds and lakes. They fly from May through September (with stragglers into October).
Here is a handy size comparison. This Eastern Amberwing was hanging out with a Slender Bluet at Cox Arboretum. This small dragonfly is not much bigger than a damselfly!
This Eastern Amberwing was attempting to perch on a Unicorn Clubtail. Photographed at Pointe North near Urbana.