Dragonfly Wings
Are the wings clear, colored or slightly tinted?
|
|
|
|
Most species have wings that are clear, some may have a tiny basal spot |
A few species normally have colored wings, they may be plain or spotted |
Tinted wings are often more pronounced in older individuals, but not always |
Is there a wing pattern, spots, bands, bars? Which wings are marked and where on
the wing are the markings?
|
|
|
|
|
Saddlebags and many others may have basal patches |
Note the small basal bars and dark wingtips in each wing |
The costa and other front veins on many species may vary in color |
The black is pigment in the wing, the white band is pruinosity |
Wing Size:
Note the length of the wings relative to the length of the abdomen. Also note the
relative width of the forewing and hindwing.
Wing Venation: All the veins in the wing
and the shapes they form have names. This structure is used by entomologists
to differentiate between families, genuses and even species upon occasion.
Determining wing venation is done with the insect in hand, using some form of magnification,
possibly a hand held 10x magnifying lens, or your binoculars reversed. It
can often be frustrating and complex but if you want to try, you will need a reference
such as
The Dragonflies of North America.
Helpful Hint: Many members if the Skimmer
family have diagnostic wing patterns, making them readily identifiable in the field.
|