Rewilding My Lot

Early one cool fall morning there was a large dragonfly resting on one of the oak trees. It was a Common Green Darner (Anax junius).

This particular dragonfly is notable, not only for its size with a wingspan of up to 4 inches, but also because of its migratory behavior. According to the Wikipedia page, “…the annual life cycle of Anax junius is likely composed of at least three different generations. The first generation emerges in the southern end of its range in early spring and migrates northwards through spring and summer. The second generation emerges in the northern end of its range in summer and migrates southwards in fall. The third generation occurs in the south during the winter and does not migrate.”

So based on the timing, I guess that this particular creature was part of the fall migration. If so, it has travelled all the way from the northern United States and was well deserving of a rest. Texas may be its final destination, or it may be heading further south (the extent of the southern range is Panama).