Best Pond

Water Lilies is the collective title for a large body of paintings in which Claude Monet studied the lily pond at his home in Giverny. Works dated 1906 concentrate on the water's surface, reflections, floating plants, and shifting light, often reducing or eliminating the visible horizon. These paint...

The Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) is a medium-sized dragonfly in the family Libellulidae, found across Europe, northern Asia, and North America. It is named for the dark nodal spots on each of its four wings. Adults are typically seen from May to August, patrolling over ponds, lakes...

Rhyothemis graphiptera, known as the Graphic Flutterer, is a dragonfly in the family Libellulidae found across northern and eastern Australia. Its broad wings bear dark brown or black bands and patches, giving it a butterfly-like appearance in flight. The species frequents still waters such as ponds...

The Crimson Dropwing (Trithemis aurora) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae, widespread throughout tropical and subtropical Asia. The mature male is known for its striking bright purple or crimson-red coloration on the abdomen and thorax, while females and immature males are yellowi...

The Pied Parasol (Neurothemis tullia) is a small dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae, commonly found across South and Southeast Asia. The mature male is easily identifiable by the extensive, opaque dark brown or black markings that cover the outer half of its wings, giving it a parasol-li...

The Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, widely distributed across much of Africa. The mature male is recognized by its vivid violet-blue coloration, while females display a more subdued brown or orange hue. The species has experienced a rapid range expansi...

The Giant Darner, *Anax walsinghami*, is a large dragonfly species native to southwestern United States ponds and wetlands. It’s notable for being North America's largest dragonfly, with wingspans reaching up to five inches. These dragonflies are particularly interesting to insect enthusiasts and th...

The Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) is a species of dragonfly native to western North America and parts of Central America. It belongs to the Aeshnidae family, which encompasses the larger darner dragonflies known for their fast and agile flight. The insect is easily identifiable by its b...

The Broad Scarlet (Crocothemis erythraea) is a medium-sized dragonfly of the Libellulidae family distributed across Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. Mature males develop a bright red coloration and possess a distinctly broad, flattened abdomen, while females typically display yellowish-brown hues....

The Common Picture Wing (Rhyothemis variegata) is an Asian flutterer dragonfly whose broad wings carry conspicuous amber and dark patterned patches.

The Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta) is a dragonfly species in the family Libellulidae, found across much of sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Middle East. It is medium-sized with distinctive dark bands across its wings and is known for its habit of perching on the ground or on low veg...

The Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) is a dragonfly species in the family Libellulidae native to eastern North America. Mature males develop a powdery blue pruinescence across the body, while females and immature males are predominantly green, a sexual dimorphism notable among North Ameri...

The Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa) is a small to medium dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, native to eastern and central North America. It is associated with still-water habitats such as ponds, marshes, and lake margins. Mature males develop red coloration on the face, thorax, abdomen, and win...

The Comet Darner, *Anax longipes*, is a sizable dragonfly species found primarily in eastern United States. It’s notable for the vibrant red coloration of male adults and their preference for undisturbed woodland ponds. These dragonflies are important indicators of aquatic ecosystem health and are f...

The Lilypad Clubtail is a species of dragonfly belonging to the Gomphidae family, native to eastern North America. It is distinguished by its habit of resting on floating lily pads in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams. The insect features a dark brown and green body that provides camouflage agai...

The Common Scarlet (Crocothemis servilia) is a medium-sized species of dragonfly belonging to the skimmer family Libellulidae. Native to a broad range across Asia, the species is easily identified by the bright scarlet coloration of mature males, which also feature a distinctive narrow black line al...

The Violet Dropwing (*Trithemis annulata*) is a dragonfly species within the Libellulidae family. It’s recognized for its distinctive violet-purple coloration found primarily in adult males inhabiting wetland environments across Africa and Europe. This vibrant hue is a key characteristic of this ins...

The Ornate Pennant (Celithemis ornata) is a libellulid dragonfly of the southeastern United States, inhabiting ponds, lakes, and marshy waters. Both sexes display extensively patterned wings and a slender, marked abdomen; males develop bright red and dark markings, while females are more variable wi...

The Black-winged Dragonlet is scientifically classified as Erythrodiplax funerea, a species of dragonfly belonging to the skimmer family Libellulidae. It is an American species found primarily in aquatic habitats such as ponds and marshes across parts of North and Central America. The insect is most...

The Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) is a large dragonfly species belonging to the Aeshnidae family. It is primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, including Central America and parts of South America. The insect is notable for its range expansion into central and...

The Scarlet Skimmer, scientifically named Crocothemis servilia, is a medium-sized dragonfly belonging to the family Libellulidae. Native to Asia, including regions from the Middle East to Japan, the species is highly adaptable to disturbed habitats such as ponds and marshes. The adult male is recogn...

The Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) is a small to medium-sized dragonfly found across Europe, ranging from Scandinavia to North Africa. Mature males develop a vivid blood-red coloration with a distinctly waisted abdomen, distinguishing them from the similar Common Darter. Females and immature ma...

Frensham Little Pond is a tranquil lake situated within the expansive heathland of Surrey, UK. Created originally as a royal hunting pond in the 13th century, it’s now managed by the National Trust and provides a vital habitat for diverse wildlife including waterfowl and reptiles. The surrounding he...

The Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea) is a medium-sized dragonfly of the family Corduliidae found across much of Europe and parts of temperate Asia. It is named for the fine, dense hairs covering the dark metallic bronze-green thorax, and adults typically patrol small, shaded woodland ponds. Females la...

The Fiery Skimmer, Orthetrum villosovittatum, is a dragonfly species in the family Libellulidae found in Australia and parts of New Guinea. Mature males develop a bright orange-red abdomen, while females and immature males are yellowish-brown. The species inhabits still and slow-moving waters, inclu...

Trithemis arteriosa, the Red-veined Dropwing, is a medium-sized dragonfly of the family Libellulidae found across much of Africa and parts of the Middle East. Mature males develop a bright red abdomen and distinctive red venation in the wings, which they characteristically hold downward and forward...

Water lilies are perennial flowering plants native to ponds and lakes. They belong to the Nymphaeaceae family and are recognized for their large, floating leaves and showy blossoms. These aquatic plants offer a tranquil aesthetic element to water gardens and are commonly cultivated by gardeners and...

The Banded Pennant, Celithemis fasciata, is a dragonfly in the skimmer family Libellulidae found in eastern North America. It is distinguished by broad dark bands crossing all four wings, a pattern that separates it from many other pennants and skimmers encountered around still water. The species is...

The blue skimmer, Orthetrum caledonicum, is a dragonfly in the family Libellulidae found in Australia and nearby parts of the southwest Pacific. Mature males commonly develop pale blue, powderlike pruinescence across much of the abdomen and thorax, while females and immature individuals are generall...