Blue Dasher (with Mites)

This dragonfly was afflicted by a heavy mite infestation. They were probably water mites (Hydrachnidia sp.), which are phoretic ectoparasites. The mites most likely attached to the dragonfly while underwater - during the odonate’s nymph stage. When the dragonfly eventually emerges from the water to become an adult, the mites simply crawl from the exuvia onto the newly emerged adult. It looks like there might be some damage to this dragonfly's exoskeleton (on it's abdomen), which may cause dessication.