While driving the Sherburne NWR (east-central Minnesota), I ran across a lot of these beauties that were perched/flying around the prairie grasses and wildflowers. I’m not sure of the ID, but they look like male Half-banded Toper dragonflies (Sympetrum semicinctum); if anyone knows for sure what these are, please let me know. Here are a few of my favorite images:
If I’m correct this is the male. In another post, I’ll share what I believe to be the female of the same species.
Photographic Equipment Used:
- Canon 5D Mark 3 body
- Canon EF 180mm, f/3.5 macro lens + Canon 1.4x TC (for some of the images)
- Handheld, with IS “On”
- ISO 200 to ISO 500
- Aperture f/5 to f/8
- Shutter 1/400 sec. to 1/1250 sec.