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Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 12
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.
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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.
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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
Image Taken on 03 Sep 2019
at 12:26 Image of day on 28 Oct 2019
In the fitful midday sun female Common Darter Dragonfly rests on a twig waiting for a
meal to fly by.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20191028_df3_20190903_1226_008 common darter dragonfly female (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Sep 2019
at 12:26 Image of day on 28 Oct 2019
The intricacy of Dragonflies is incredible - this is a zoom on the female
Common Darter Dragonfly to relish her complicated form. Note the yellow stripe
down each leg that (among other things) differentiates this species from the 'Ruddy'.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20191028_df3_20190903_1226_008 common darter dragonfly female (crop detail)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Aug 2008
at 13:06 Image of day on 31 Aug 2008
We brought you another Female Common Darter Dragonfly 11 days ago,
but this new set shows the female in a more normal pose.
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Ref: 20080831_da1_20080816_1306_023 common darter dragonfly female(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 07 Aug 2023
at 11:02 Image of day on 29 Sep 2023
Our first photo of a Darter Dragonfly this year - a female Common Darter.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20230929_d71_20230807_1102_010 common darter dragonfly female (1st of 2023)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Aug 2008
at 13:08 Image of day on 31 Aug 2008
This is a head-on view of the 'face'.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20080831_da1_20080816_1308_050 common darter dragonfly female head detail (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 20 Aug 2020
at 13:11 Image of day on 27 Sep 2020
One of the fun things about Darter Dragonflies is that they often return to the perch
from which they have just flown, given a chance to photograph a landing as here.
NOT an accurate montage but a decent 'impression'.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20200927_d73_20200820_1311_155+156+158 common darter dragonfly female landing on woodpile twig 2+3+5 of 5 (impression montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 01 Sep 2011
at 12:24 Image of day on 18 Oct 2011
A bit of sunshine brings out a few dragonflies. This one is
perched on the pond island on fallen sedge - the colours of the
insect match that of the foliage rendering them very hard to see
until they move or you see them land.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20111018_df1_20110901_1224_082 common darter dragonfly female on fallen hop sedge (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 29 Aug 2016
at 12:30 Image of day on 18 Oct 2016
A female Common darter sunning herself on an Iris frond.
.jpg)
Ref: 20161018_df3_20160829_1230_037 common darter dragonfly female on iris frond(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 02 Sep 2010
at 15:10 Image of day on 27 Oct 2010
This is a common Darter dragonfly seen next day perched on a leaf
while it warms up.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20101027_df1_20100902_1510_393 common darter dragonfly female on leaf (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 15 Sep 2018
at 12:22 Image of day on 06 Nov 2018
In the mid-day sunshine a female Common Darter Dragonfly perches on a dead
Blackberry stem. This female is probably past breeding, and hopefully enjoying
her last few days before the frosts arrive.
.jpg)
Ref: 20181106_df3_20180915_1222_006 common darter dragonfly female overmature on blackberry stem(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 01 Aug 2019
at 12:34 Image of day on 19 Sep 2019
A female Common Darter Dragonfly warming herself in the sun while waiting
for a meal to fly by.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20190919_df3_20190801_1234_009 common darter dragonfly female perched by pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
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