Eastern Amberwing

I saw these guys for the first time a year ago, on the butterfly bush at the bottom of the driveway next to our mailbox. Delighted to find them there again today! I've been hoping and looking for them - and today I was rewarded.

It's an Eastern amberwing - Perithemis tenera - a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae - one of the "skimmer" dragonflies. I'm thinking this is a male based on the info on one website I found.

I began to wonder about their life cycle and found this. How interesting! Blip is the most educational of activities, isn't it?