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Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 13

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!


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.


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.


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.


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.


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:-


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.


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


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.


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.


Ref: 20211117_d72_20211003_1327_082+080 common darter dragonfly (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Aug 2024 at 12:38    Image of day on 28 Sep 2024

Darter Dragonflies are smaller than the Hawker Dragonflies, and behave completely differently - perching on stems and dashing out to catch some passing prey before often flying back to their original perch.
Here we see a Common Darter Dragonfly touchdown on a stinging nettle.


Ref: 20240928_d72_20240813_1238_043 common darter dragonfly alighting on top of stinging nettle (crop 1)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Aug 2024 at 12:38    Image of day on 28 Sep 2024

The detail is clearer, and its visually interesting, to see a negative of this event.


Ref: 20240928_d72_20240813_1238_043 common darter dragonfly alighting on top of stinging nettle (crop 2 negative)(r+mb id@576).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.


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.


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.


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.


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'.


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.


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.


Ref: 20230929_d71_20230807_1102_010 common darter dragonfly female (1st of 2023)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 18 Aug 2024 at 12:58    Image of day on 06 Oct 2024

A Common Darter Dragonfly returns to their previous perch after a hunting excursion Intermediate in size between Hawker Dragonflies and Damselflies, Darter Dragonflies hunt by 'Darting' from perches to catch passing Midges, often returning to the same perch. Very convenient for a photographer!


Ref: 20241006_d72_20240818_1258_175 common darter dragonfly female flies from perch and returns 1 of 5 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 18 Aug 2024 at 12:59    Image of day on 06 Oct 2024

The return flight from the second excursion is caught on camera.


Ref: 20241006_d72_20240818_1259_199-202 common darter dragonfly female flies from perch and returns 2-5 of 5 (montage @7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


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