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Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
The Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) is a fairly common widespread damselfly which occurs over the eastern 3/4 of the United States. The first photo here was a digital capture with a Canon EOS 10D and EF 180 mm Macro lens with a 1.4X extender and a ring flash on the Balcones Canyonlands NWR, Travis Co., Texas in June 2003.
The subspecies of Variable Dancer found in Texas and many other areas (A. f. violacea) is now called Violet Dancer. At right is a shot from May, 2005, in Travis Co., Texas.
Here is another shot of a Variable Dancer of the violacea subspecies, taken at Little Lakes, Beachburg Rd., Renfrew Co., Ontario, Canada, in July, 2005.
My first observation of the "smoky-winged" Variable Dancer (A. f. fumipennis) was quite a surprise since I just was not prepared for how dark the wings actually are. This male was photographed at Twin Lakes, Twin Lakes Road, Taylor Co., Georgia, in July, 2005.
The male shown here was in Bastrop State Park, Bastrop Co., Texas, in May, 2008. This image was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender with flash.
The male shown here was in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, in June, 2009. The same gear as previously described was used to take this shot.
The pair of Variable Dancers in tandem shown here was along the Fourche Renault Creek, Washington Co., Missouri, in June, 2009. The same gear as previously described was used to take this image.
The next 2 shots showing a pair of Variable Dancers in copula and a single male, were taken near Freyburg, Oxford Co., Maine, in June, 2010, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and an EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash.
This shot of the dark-winged form of Variable Dancer (A. f. fumipennis) was at Kolomoki Mounds State Park, Early Co., Georgia, in May, 2011.
The next eight shots show more of the dark winged "Smoky-winged" Dancers (A. f. fumipennis). These shots were taken at Campbell Lake in the Sandhills State Forest, Chesterfield Co., South Carolina, in May, 2012, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and a Sigma 50-500mm lens and Canon 580 flash.
The male Variable Dancer on the right was along Onion Creek near Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas, in July, 2012. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and an EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Gus Engling W.M.A.,
Anderson Co., Texas
9 June 2013
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Blanco River,
Blanco Co., Texas
13 August 2013
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Onion Creek,
near Dripping Springs,
Hays Co., Texas
13 August 2013
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Cienega Creek,
Big Bend Ranch State Park,
Presidio Co., Texas
22 August 2013
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Cibolo Creek Ranch
Presidio Co., Texas
23 August 2013
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Dry Creek Road
6 mi E of Barksdale,
Real Co., Texas
29 April 2014
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male with water mites
Dry Creek Road
6 mi E of Barksdale,
Real Co., Texas
29 April 2014
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Bastrop State Park,
Bastrop Co., Texas
25 July 2014
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Onion Creek @ Creek Road,
Dripping Springs,
Hays Co., Texas
21 October 2014
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Cibilo Creek,
Shafter,
Presidio Co., Texas
22 May 2015
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Cibilo Creek,
Shafter,
Presidio Co., Texas
22 May 2015
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Murphy Ranch,
near Bee Cave,
Travis Co., Texas
2 June 2015
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Cold Sulphur Springs Lake,
Goshen,
Rockbridge Co., Virginia
30 June 2015
Lat 37.975797, Lon -79.517283
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Cold Sulphur Springs Lake,
Goshen,
Rockbridge Co., Virginia
30 June 2015
Lat 37.975797, Lon -79.517283
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Mike Murphy Ranch,
Travis Co., Texas
20 July 2015
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Mike Murphy Ranch,
Travis Co., Texas
20 July 2015
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Dripping Springs Ranch Park,
Dripping Springs,
Hays Co., Texas
14 April 2016
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Dripping Springs Ranch Park,
Dripping Springs,
Hays Co., Texas
14 April 2016
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
7 mi W of Bee Cave,
Travis Co., Texas
3 June 2016
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Dripping Springs Ranch Park,
Dripping Springs,
Hays Co., Texas
7 June 2016
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Goettsche Lake,
Hemphill Co., Texas
13 June 2016
Lat 35.9205, Lon -100.0281
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
pair in tandem
Oasis Creek Ranch,
Hemphill Co., Texas
14 June 2016
Lat 35.914011, Lon -100.021462
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
below the dam at Lake Meredith,
Hutchinson Co., Texas
17 June 2016
Lat 35.718, Lon -101.547
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Mike Murphy Ranch,
ca 7 mi W of Bee Cave,
Travis Co., Texas
17 April 2017
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Braley Pond,
George Washington National Forest,
Augusta Co., Virginia
9 June 2017
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Dripping Springs Ranch Park,
Dripping Springs,
Hays Co., Texas
3 August 2017
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Cibolo Creek,
Shafter,
Presidio Co., Texas
27 September 2017
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
pair in tandem
Cibolo Creek,
Shafter,
Presidio Co., Texas
27 September 2017
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
This form is A. f. fumipennis
AKA Smoky-winged Dancer
McKinney Lake and
Fish Hatchery area,
Richmond Co., North Carolina
11 May 2018
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
pair in tandem
This form is A. f. fumipennis
AKA Smoky-winged Dancer
McKinney Lake and
Fish Hatchery area,
Richmond Co., North Carolina
11 May 2018
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
female
This form is A. f. fumipennis
AKA Smoky-winged Dancer
Jones Lake State Park,
Bladen Co.,
North Carolina
13 May 2018
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
female
This form is A. f. fumipennis
AKA Smoky-winged Dancer
Jones Lake State Park,
Bladen Co.,
North Carolina
13 May 2018
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Lake Lurleen State Park,
Tuscaloosa Co.,
Alabama
15 May 2018
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
male
Lake Lurleen State Park,
Tuscaloosa Co.,
Alabama
15 May 2018