Macro - Halloween Pennant Purgatory

The genus Celithemus is a part of the Libellulidae, or skimmer, family. There common name is pennant which comes from the way in which they typically perch. As you can see in these photos, pennants usually perch horizontally at the top of a stick or blade of grass. The wings are held at an angle with the forewings higher then the hindwings which gives them the appearance of a flag or a pennant.

We see two types of pennants here in Minnesota the calico pennant and the Halloween pennant, which is featured here. Even though Halloween pennants seem to be less effected by cold, they are often found out flying in weather that other dragons avoid, they are not usually found here in Minnesota in October. They received the name Halloween pennant because of the color of the males, which are orange with black-brown spots. These pics are of females, which is why they are yellow with black-brown spots. I photographed these dragons at Purgatory Creek during the summer.