The Dragonflies are Back!

This is a male Common White Tail Dragonfly.  He and his kind are some of the first dragonflies to appear each June.  They are also the easiest to photograph as they love to rest on stones warmed by the sun.  These stones are part of the facing on my barn cellar.  I always think they are so prehistoric looking.  275 million years ago these guys had a wingspan of 2.5 feet and weight a pound!  They were the largest insect that ever lived.  Now, they patrol my yard looking for blackflies and mosquitoes, so they are very welcome indeed.