Eastern Pondhawk

The Eastern Pondhawk is a sturdy skimmer dragonfly often found around ponds, wetlands, marsh edges, and nearby open vegetation. Green individuals show a bright green face and thorax, clear wings, dark legs, and a banded abdomen that helps separate them from many other small green skimmers. In these photos, the dragonfly uses a rough, weathered branch as a perch, giving close views of the eye color, thorax pattern, wing venation, and abdominal markings.

For identification details and comparison with similar species, see Erythemis simplicicollis in the Field Notes section.

Head-On Watch
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 3200 • Aperture f/10.0 • Shutter 1/1250 s
E22A6562 • Size: 800 x 533

An Eastern Pondhawk rests in profile on a rough branch, showing the green face and thorax, clear wings, dark legs, and banded abdomen against a soft wetland-green background.

Sunlit Pondhawk
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 400 • Aperture f/4.5 • Shutter 1/320 s
E22A6572 • Size: 800 x 533

Bright summer light brings out the pondhawk’s vivid green color as it leans along the diagonal perch, with the abdomen fading gently into the shallow-focus background.

Green on Weathered Wood
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 400 • Aperture f/10.0 • Shutter 1/1250 s
E22A6569 • Size: 800 x 533

From a slightly forward angle, the Eastern Pondhawk appears alert and compact, with the green face, reflective eyes, folded legs, and transparent wings layered over the weathered perch.

Over-the-Shoulder Green
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 3200 • Aperture f/10.0 • Shutter 1/1250 s
E22A6563 • Size: 800 x 533

The pondhawk turns its head back over the branch, giving a lively perch view with strong green color, visible wing structure, and the dark rectangular marks along the abdomen.