Gray-waisted Skimmer

Jungle trails were frustrating. The front of the line seldom waited for the back to catch up. We were supposed to change positions in line, but, for a variety of reasons. this strategy proved to be difficult. Consequently we missed a lot on these excursions. Such was the case on a late morning hike through the forest at Costa Rica’s Laguna Lagarto Lodge on 13 July 2017. We searched for lagoons that were either non-existant or dried up. We did, however, pick up a few interesting dragonflies, including Gray-waisted Skimmers.

Gray-waisted Skimmers are found from southern Texas to Panama. They perch distinctively, with their abdomens parallel to branches. They favor the shade—certainly the case in the forest—and are often found away from water. Females oviposit in dense vegetation (Paulson 2009).