Before and After

Photo by Bill Kaufman, May 2015

Looks imposing, rising from the depths, but this exoskeleton of a dragonfly nymph is not going to pursue you. After hatching from eggs, nymphs eat, grow, and shed their exoskeletons. Their final shed brings wings - and you know what that means! Adulthood. Hooray!
According to bug expert Carl Olson, this is the nymph exoskeleton of a dragonfly from the Libellulidae family, which is the largest family and includes the skimmers.

Photo by Bill Kaufman 5/22/2015

Flame Skimmer, male