Dragonfly

This is, I think, a Four-Spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) known in North America as the Four-Spotted Skimmer. You can just see the dark spots or marks on its wings.

I have taken a couple of days off and spent part of this one cleaning out the pond , a task I haven't done for years as the amount of matted and muddy growth testified.

There were a number of different types of dragonfly or mayfly around but this one was perched on an old plant stalk, to which it kept coming back after a brief tour of the pond's permitter. Apparently this is typical patrolling behaviour.

I had to look it up on line , of course, which told me all this and more including the fact that it is the state insect of Alaska.

Very un-Alaska temperatures today , though. In fact un-Scottish weather, at least in recent years. 28 degrees in this part of Argyll and brilliant sunshine. Long may it last.