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The Swamp Darner is a spectacular insect, huge (up to nearly 3.5") with bright blue eyes. This one was photographed on the porch of our log cabin at Lena Park on the evening of June 5, 2002. It was a cool, rainy evening and the insect was quite lethargic. It even allowed me to pick it up; it seemed to enjoy the warmth. For a larger, higher-res look, click on the image.
According to James R. Curry's Dragonflies of Indiana (Indiana Academy of Science, 2001), the Swamp Darner's habitat includes "Seasonal forest pools and swamps; flood plains, forested streams" - this one was found in an open oak woodland, but near some forested swamp. According to Curry, they eat a wide range of insects, including mosquitoes.
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