Female Little Blue Dragonlet

One of the smallest dragonflies in North America, I found this one in a carnivorous plant bog in North Carolina early in the morning. The bi-colored compound eyes actually perceive different wavelengths of light. The upper half is more blue and UV sensitive, allowing these winged predators to better see flying prey (and predators) silhouetted against the sky. The lower half of the eye is more sensitive to browns and greens of the land below.