SWAMP DARNER & Cyrano darner
Swamp Darners are known for their propensity to fly inside buildings. Evidently, that is what this individual had done. I found it lying on my garage floor, deceased. Note the little green triangle between the two green stripes here. This is a useful field mark for this species.
The individual above and at left was photographed at Siebenthaler Fen. She is a female, ovipositing into a wet log.
Swamp Darners are Ohio's largest dragonflies in terms of dimensions (length and wingspan). However, heavy-bodied species such as the Dragonhunter can appear larger to the naked eye. This individual was photographed on June 12, 2021, at Koogler Reserve in Beavercreek.
This Swamp Darner was found at Garland Wetland Reserve in Fairborn on June 13, 2020. The shaded, swampy habitat at Garland Reserve is perfect for Swamp Darners.
Swamp Darners prefer shaded wetlands, but they are partially migratory and can turn up in unexpected places.
I usually see Swamp Darners in May and June (occasionally into early July).
This dragonfly is a Cyrano Darner. I don't have a lot of good images of this species. They tend to perch very high in trees, and they are difficult to photograph.
I have found Cyrano Darners in several places, including some of the Beaver Creek Wetlands parks, Crain's Run Park and other spots along the Great Miami River, Spring Lakes Park in Bellbrook, and other locations. Cyrano Darners might be partly migratory, because they seem to turn up in odd places.
Cyrano Darners fly from late May through early August. This species has a prominent blue nose and tends to fly with its abdomen arched.