Male Blue-Eyed Darner (dragonfly)

Description:

Rhionaeschna multicolor (syn. Aeshna multicolor). These have been ubiquitous of late, observed at elevations from 4,350 to 4,900 ft. This dragonfly was resting on a concrete walkway in the morning shade of a commercial structure (it may have been injured after flying into a glass window). The full length of the body was 7 cm, abdomen section 4 cm. The wings were 4 cm long for a wing span of 8 cm. In their larval stage, they may take several years or more to develop, the adult stage apparently only lasts six to eight weeks. Adults eat, among other things, mosquitoes. June 18, 2011, Salt Lake County, Utah, 4360 ft. elev.