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Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 10
Image Taken on 17 Jun 2017
at 08:35 Image of day on 12 Aug 2017
The female Common Blue damselfly comes in both a single 'Blue' form
and in two 'Drab' forms that gradually change with maturity.
This is the drab form of the mature female Common Blue damselfly.
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Ref: 20170812_df3_20170617_0835_078 common blue damselfly female mature drab form on hop sedge leaf(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 08 Aug 2019
at 10:55 Image of day on 29 Sep 2019
This Common Blue Damselfly is sucking the juices from some sort of Midge that she
has just caught. In the insert you can see the legs of the prey below the damselfly's eyes.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20190929_df3_20190808_1055_009 common blue damselfly female perched to eat prey insect (crop + detail insert)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 31 Jul 2017
at 10:58 Image of day on 15 Sep 2017
On warm parts of days we get to see several Common Blue Damselflies in among the
taller plants in the meadow. This is a mature male.
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Ref: 20170915_df3_20170731_1058_009 common blue damselfly male(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 24 May 2020
at 10:03 Image of day on 23 Jun 2020
A male common blue Damselfly warming himself in the sunshine.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20200623_df3_20200524_1003_022 common blue damselfly male (1st of 2020)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Jul 2019
at 14:11 Image of day on 25 Aug 2019
A male Common Blue Damselfly sunning himself on a grass stem.
The 'Blue' is that of a mature male. Really almost Cyan.
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Ref: 20190825_df3_20190705_1411_034 common blue damselfly male horizontal perched on sloping grass stem(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 06 Jul 2013
at 15:05 Image of day on 23 Aug 2013
This 3 cm long male Common Blue Damselfly is photographed soon after
emergence from a nearby pond. It will change colour as it
matures.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20130823_df1_20130706_1505_129 common blue damselfly male imm (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Jul 2019
at 16:08 Image of day on 11 Sep 2019
This immature male Common Blue Damselfly has chosen to perch on the shaded side
of a blackberry cluster. A heat-wave has produced an air temperature of about 36c
and the insect does not need to warm itself in the blazing sun.
.jpg)
Ref: 20190911_d72_20190723_1608_009 common blue damselfly male immature perched on blackberry fruit staying in shade(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Jul 2019
at 16:09 Image of day on 11 Sep 2019
This immature male Common Blue Damselfly has chosen to perch on the shaded side
of a blackberry stem. A heat-wave has produced an air temperature of about 36c
and the insect does not need to warm itself in the blazing sun.
.jpg)
Ref: 20190911_d72_20190723_1609_015 common blue damselfly male immature perched on blackberry stem staying in shade(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 28 Jun 2012
at 17:35 Image of day on 07 Aug 2012
Dragonfly species change dramatically during their lives - you
really need a whole book on the subject to work out what is what.
Despite the colour this is a young male Common Blue damselfly.
You don't need a book to enjoy them though!
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120807_df1_20120628_1735_051 common blue damselfly male juvenile (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Jun 2018
at 12:52 Image of day on 17 Jul 2018
A male Common Blue Damselfly warming in the sun will soon be off
looking for a girl! Unlike the females, the males have just this one form.
.jpg)
Ref: 20180717_df3_20180603_1252_003 common blue damselfly male mature(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 17 Jun 2017
at 08:33 Image of day on 12 Aug 2017
The Common Blue Damselflies have arrived. This is a male.
.jpg)
Ref: 20170812_df3_20170617_0833_073 common blue damselfly male mature on thistle leaf(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 28 Jun 2020
at 16:27 Image of day on 03 Aug 2020
A male Common Blue Damselfly starting to change from a drab slightly blue
colour of the juvenile into the vivid blue of the mature adult.
.jpg)
Ref: 20200803_d73_20200628_1627_122 common blue damselfly male maturing(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 21 Aug 2011
at 14:34 Image of day on 10 Oct 2011
An angled stick at the main pond attracted this mating pair of Common Darters.
The male at the top clasps the female by the 'neck' - only the claspers of the same
species will fit! They can fly about in tandem like this, and lay by the pair dipping the
females tail into the water. Different dragonfly species lay in range of ways and places.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20111010_df1_20110821_1434_086 pair of common darter dragonflies coupled on twig at dragon pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 28 Jul 2008
at 12:09 Image of day on 10 Aug 2008
We brought you a Male Common Darter Dragonfly last year on
21 Sep 2007 - here it is:-
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To complete the cycle here are a pair coupled together (male
above) coordinating their flight to repeatedly dip the females
ovipositor (her tail tip) in the water to deposit eggs. In the
original you can see that the water surface tension is still
connecting her to the surface.
.jpg)
Ref: 20080810_dc1_20080728_1209_167 pair of common darter dragonflies laying in dragon pond(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 04 Aug 2020
at 09:50 Image of day on 10 Sep 2020
A middle sized Dragonfly, the Common Darter
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Ref: 20200910_df3_20200804_0950_066 common darter dragonfly(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 31 Jul 2011
at 12:44 Image of day on 16 Sep 2011
A common Darter Dragonfly using an angled perch
hanging over the edge of a pond.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20110916_df1_20110731_1244_230 common darter dragonfly (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Oct 2021
at 13:27 Image of day on 17 Nov 2021
This Common Darter Dragonfly was warming on the ground in the sunshine on
an otherwise cold day, remarkably well camouflaged . Here are two views blended into one picture.
The colouration is typical of this species when well past the prime of life.
Dragonflies and Damselflies die in the Autumn, but their
eggs will have hatched in the depth of ponds to make nymphs that feed and grow
for between 1 and 3 years. They emerge in the Spring or Summer as flying adults.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20211117_d72_20211003_1327_082+080 common darter dragonfly (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 31 Jul 2011
at 12:45 Image of day on 16 Sep 2011
Such perches often encourage dragonflies to perch, fly off for a few
seconds, and then return to exactly the same place. This makes it
possible to catch the approach and landing.
These images are irregularly timed (frames 1, 2 & 5 from a set of 6) that
give the right impression.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20110916_df1_20110731_1245_302+303+306 common darter dragonfly coming in to land on tip of stick 1+2+5 of 6 (irregularly timed montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 15 Sep 2019
at 12:32 Image of day on 08 Nov 2019
In the mid-day sunshine a female Common Darter Dragonfly waits for lunch to fly by.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20191108_d73_20190915_1232_010 common darter dragonfly female (crop 1)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 15 Sep 2019
at 12:32 Image of day on 08 Nov 2019
Detail of a head and legs of this female Common Darter Dragonfly.
Note the yellow stripe down the leg - a characteristic of this species.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20191108_d73_20190915_1232_010 common darter dragonfly female (crop 2)(r+mb id@768).jpg
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