Eastern pondhawk on a twig

Perched dead center on a bare twig with all four wings spread flat — a classic dragonfly resting pose that gives an unobstructed look at the fine venation running through the wings. The pale powder-blue body and turquoise eyes are typical of a mature male eastern pondhawk.

Why it matters

Eastern pondhawks are unusual among dragonflies for hunting on the ground and low vegetation as often as in the air, ambushing prey as large as other dragonflies and even small frogs — an aggressive predator for an insect barely two inches long.

Getting the shot

A dark, shaded green background gave strong contrast against the pale body, and the symmetrical spread-wing pose made for a clean, almost diagrammatic composition straight down the twig’s axis.