Return to moorhen home page
Return to section index
Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 10
Image Taken on 16 May 2015
at 09:01 Image of day on 12 Jul 2015
The Hairy Dragonfly moved around in the hedge, and provide this more
conventional view of the top of the insect. The body length is about 7cm.
Dragonflies are big impressive insects but completely harmless to humans.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20150712_df3_20150516_0901_260 hairy dragonfly female - 1st odonata of 2015 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 18 May 2009
at 14:07 Image of day on 07 Jun 2009
This is a Hairy Dragonfly' - one of the earliest dragonflies of
the season. This was brought to us for some technical
photographs, after which we took this portrait. You can see the
hairiness along the top and bottom of the body in the first image
 (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090607_dc1_20090518_1407_160 ft1 hairy dragonfly female hanging in blackthorn (side view) (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 18 May 2009
at 15:06 Image of day on 07 Jun 2009
It was reluctant to fly indoors but we did manage this single
image of it in flight.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090607_dc1_20090518_1506_047+1527_001 ft1 hairy dragonfly female in flight with hawthorn (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 16 May 2015
at 09:00 Image of day on 12 Jul 2015
Our first Odanata of the season was this Hairy Dragonfly (the proper common name)
distinguishable by the 'fur' on the body clearly visible on this detail crop.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20150712_df3_20150516_0900_254 hairy dragonfly female showing underside & hair detail - 1st odonata of 2015 (crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 23 May 2009
at 16:38 Image of day on 07 Jun 2009
About a week later we had the opportunity to photograph a male
and can't resist this close-up of the thorax where you can see the hairs
in detail
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090607_db1_20090523_1638_154 ft1 hairy dragonfly male head and thorax detail side view (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image of day on 18 Sep 2007
The flying jewellery are delighting us with acrobat displays
of glorious colour. Here one hovered for a second or two
providing a chance for a set of images in flight. The wingbeats
are far faster than the camera can manage, so don't try to
interpret the wing positions.
.gif)
Ref: 20070918_southern hawker dragonfly 20070826 (anim).gif
Image Taken on 18 Sep 2014
at 12:45 Image of day on 27 Nov 2014
We photographed this Hobby flying by, but it was only later when
the images were on our PC that we saw to our astonishment that
this hunting bird caught an insect in front of us.
Read the montage left to right in 3 descending rows:-
Image 1: The insect is about 3 bird lengths to the right of the bird.
Image 2: The gap is down to 1 body length and the talons are swinging forward.
Image 3: The catch!
Image 7: Transfer to the beak.
Image 12: All done and the talons start their way back to 'retracted'.
The whole sequence lasts just over 2 seconds.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20141127_df2_20140918_1245_049-060 hobby catching dragonfly in flight 03-14 of 14 (montage @5fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 18 Sep 2014
at 12:45 Image of day on 27 Nov 2014
Here are images 3 and 7 in more detail.
Don't get confused by the numbering - the 12 image montage starts
at Frame 3 (Image 1) of the 14 image sequence we have on file.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20141127_df2_20140918_1245_051+055 hobby catching dragonfly in flight 05+09 of 14 (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 04 Jun 2011
at 14:35 Image of day on 18 Jul 2011
Half an hour later this Hobby made a rather high flyover. At the time
we could not see the dragonfly clutched in it's talons.
The abdomen (tail) is sticking out below the tail and the
dragonfly's wing outline can be made out below that.
We were out looking for dragonflies & didn't spot one all day!
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20110718_df1_20110604_1435_057 hobby in flight with dragonfly in talons (id crop @576)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 10 Jun 2012
at 12:33 Image of day on 18 Jul 2012
A pair of Large Red Damselflies taking a rest from laying. The
male is on the left clasping the female with the special claspers
on his tail tip that only lock onto the correct species female.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120718_df1_20120610_1233_222 pair of large red damselflies coupled on leaf (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Jun 2013
at 14:59 Image of day on 08 Aug 2013
This is a pair of Large Red Damselflies, coupled for
mating, alternately warmed themselves in the sun and then
went off to lay some more eggs beneath the water
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20130808_df1_20130625_1459_274 large red damselflies egg laying (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Jun 2013
at 14:59 Image of day on 08 Aug 2013
This is a pair of Large Red Damselflies, coupled for
mating, alternately warmed themselves in the sun and then
went off to lay some more eggs beneath the water
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20130808_df1_20130625_1459_279 large red damselflies egg laying (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 28 May 2012
at 13:15 Image of day on 28 Jun 2012
A pair of Large Red Damselflies 'in tandem' laying eggs in the duck-shaped pond.
The male is at the top.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120628_df1_20120528_1315_367 large red damselflies laying in duck pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 21 May 2014
at 12:17 Image of day on 25 Jul 2014
The warmest pond had a scattering of Large Red Damselflies
('Large' being a relative term!) laying eggs in the pond weed.
The female is on the leaf. The segments of the abdomen
hinge without any ill-effects.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20140725_df2_20140521_1217_340 large red damselflies laying in duck shaped pond (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 29 May 2012
at 17:32 Image of day on 28 Jun 2012
More detail of the intricately coloured thorax.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120628_df1_20120529_1732_041 large red damselfly (detail crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 30 May 2012
at 12:28 Image of day on 28 Jun 2012
The Large Red Damselfly is only large compared to the 'small ...'
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120628_df1_20120530_1228_113 large red damselfly female (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 17 May 2014
at 10:16 Image of day on 17 Jul 2014
This was our first sighting this year of a female Large Red Damselfly
just a few minutes after seeing a male. We hope they found each other!
 on leaf(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20140717_df2_20140517_1016_230 large red damselfly female (fulvipes variant) on leaf(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 16 May 2009
at 14:16 Image of day on 09 Jun 2009
The Dragonflies and damselflies just starting to be seen.
The Large Red Damselfly (size being a relative measure) was found
in the long grass and photographic in flight.
The underside is NOT red - most dragonflies are different underneath.
 (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090609_dc1_20090516_1416_024 ft1 large red damselfly female in flight (head on & bottom view) (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Jun 2013
at 12:38 Image of day on 17 Jul 2013
This first sighting of the year of a female Large Red Damselfly
found her in this curved position. It always amazed us now much
the joints on the abdomen can bend while the whole body looks so
rigid when straight.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20130717_df1_20130603_1238_029 large red damselfly female on tree leaf in looped position (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 08 Jun 2008
at 13:57 Image of day on 17 Jun 2008
Damselflies are sort of miniature dragonflies, & just as alien.
.jpg)
Ref: 20080617_dc1_20080608_1357_029 large red damselfly male(r+mb id@576).jpg
Comments and requests for image use
To make a comment, ask for information or to request a full
resolution image, send us an email including the reference or
the date for the image you are interested in.
All initial contacts should be made using the icon below:-
