Gloria's Insects: Dragonfly husk

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

Always stuff to learn, right? 

Spotted this in wetlands in New Orleans. The dragonfly had already reached adulthood when s/he emerged from this larval casing. Process is called eclosion.

Learned this and more from Dragonflies and Damselflies, by Dennis Paulson. Useful book if you're photographing or even just observing dragonflies.

--Gloria Z. Nagler