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Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 18
Image Taken on 08 Aug 2010
at 14:39 Image of day on 26 Sep 2010
A male Emerald Damselfly brought to us for some technical photos
of the blue 'pruinescence' (a powdery substance that rubs off) &
went on to provide some delightful images before release.
The Hop sedge looks a bit strange but that is how it goes - there
were hundreds like this with very similar strips sticking up and down.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20100926_da1_20100808_1439_028_ft1 emerald damselfly male on hop sedge (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Jul 2012
at 15:36 Image of day on 31 Aug 2012
Here we accidentally caught a moment of flight between patches of the pond
weeds where she was laying.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120831_df1_20120722_1536_081 emperor dragonfly female flying between laying (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Jun 2008
at 19:41 Image of day on 07 Jul 2008
The Emperor Dragonfly is big with 10cm wingspan
and absolutely beautiful intricate body and wings.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20080707_p34_20080623_1941_234 emperor dragonfly female hanging on pond grass (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Jun 2008
at 19:19 Image of day on 07 Jul 2008
Soak in the detail - on the original you can see the
segments of the compound eye.
.jpg)
Ref: 20080707_dc1_20080623_1919_041 emperor dragonfly female head detail(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 30 May 2020
at 12:28 Image of day on 04 Jul 2020
From another flight sequence of a female Emperor Hawker Dragonfly that fell off
the edge of frame, this image is more diagnostic for an ID.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20200704_df3_20200530_1228_068 emperor dragonfly female immature (crop for id)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 30 May 2020
at 12:24 Image of day on 04 Jul 2020
At the corner of the Wheat crop this immature female Emperor Hawker Dragonfly
was hunting over the field margin.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20200704_df3_20200530_1224_015-019 emperor dragonfly female immature in flight @7fps 1-5 of 5 (accurate montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Jun 2023
at 12:51 Image of day on 23 Aug 2023
This is our first sighting of an Emperor Dragonfly for 3 years.
Positioning is accurate at about 7 fps.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20230823_df3_20230625_1251_222-224 emperor dragonfly female in flight (accurate montage @7fps)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Jun 2023
at 12:51 Image of day on 23 Aug 2023
The middle pic in the montage at a more easily identifiable scale.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20230823_df3_20230625_1251_223 emperor dragonfly female in flight 2 of 3 (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Jul 2012
at 15:35 Image of day on 31 Aug 2012
A female Emperor Dragonfly facing us as she lays eggs on the
underwater vegetation. Who is watching who?
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120831_df1_20120722_1535_059 emperor dragonfly female laying (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Jul 2012
at 15:39 Image of day on 30 Aug 2012
We had about 5 minutes watching this Emperor Dragonfly placing
her eggs on to sub-surface vegetation before she unexpectedly
flew off. In this image you can see the last few abdominal
segments under water along with her Claspers (Anal Appendages).
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20120830_df1_20120722_1539_164 emperor dragonfly female laying (crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Jul 2010
at 17:58 Image of day on 13 Aug 2010
A beautiful Emperor dragonfly female depositing eggs. The only
image we got before she flew off for no obvious reason - this was
taken from at least 5 meters away - it's possible to get much
closer when there isn't water in the way!
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20100813_df1_20100709_1758_014 emperor dragonfly female laying into duck pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 25 Jun 2010
at 16:37 Image of day on 02 Aug 2010
Our first definite Emperor Dragonfly at our site. This is the
glorious male on Hop sedge on the island of Duck Pond.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20100802_df1_20100625_1637_108 emperor dragonfly male (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Jul 2020
at 12:24 Image of day on 28 Aug 2020
We first saw (no photo) a male Emperor Dragonfly some weeks back in this area.
At last getting a photo, we see he has led a busy life in the interim, wings now really
tatty from endless brushing on foliage, but still flying well. These at 10 fps.
 in flight 1-4 of 4 (accurate montage with insert)(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20200828_d73_20200719_1224_106-109 emperor dragonfly male (old & very tatty) in flight 1-4 of 4 (accurate montage with insert)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 24 Jun 2009
at 13:02 Image of day on 28 Jul 2009
This is a male 'four-spot chaser' (change of common name since the link below).
This species has been breeding on our plot for at least a decade.
It first came to our attention one day when a number were emerging in May 1999
after a warm night that turned cold in the morning and slowed down the usual
overnight emergence.
You can see it on the main web site at
Dragonfly Emergence Sequence.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090728_da1_20090624_1302_147+1310_192 ft1 four-spot chaser dragonfly male in flight bottom view with dead twig (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 24 Jun 2009
at 13:13 Image of day on 28 Jul 2009
Their favourite perches seem to be dead twigs by the waterside.
If you have a pond put a couple of sticks about half meter long
at 30 degrees from horizontal & overhanging the water, and you
will likely be graced with some dragonflies using the tip. If
they are already about they sometimes land on them within seconds
(but usually not).
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090728_da1_20090624_1313_211 ft1 four-spot chaser dragonfly male on twig (orig)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 20 Jun 2012
at 15:02 Image of day on 22 Jul 2012
A female Four-Spotted chaser dragonfly was laying eggs in the
Duck-shaped pond and then stopped for a rest. We hadn't seen one since
the sequence in May 1999 (see
Dragonfly Emergence)
and a male in 2009.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120722_df1_20120620_1502_231 four-spotted chaser dragonfly female (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 20 Jun 2012
at 15:02 Image of day on 22 Jul 2012
Here the female Four-Spotted chaser is perched on a Dogwood stem.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120722_df1_20120620_1502_243 four-spotted chaser dragonfly female (crop 1)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 20 Jun 2012
at 15:02 Image of day on 22 Jul 2012
Detail of the head and legs of the female Four-Spotted chaser
perched on a Dogwood stem.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120722_df1_20120620_1502_243 four-spotted chaser dragonfly female (crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 14 Jun 2022
at 18:04 Image of day on 02 Aug 2022
A once regular breeder in the Round Pond, but now occasional visitor, is the Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly.
But there are there 8 black spots you say!
The outer spots (actually rectangles boarded by wing veins) are called
pterostigma which appear in some form on almost all Dragonflies. The 'spots'
count is of the round spots half-way down the leading edge of the wing - and yes
- there are four!
.jpg)
Ref: 20220802_df3_20220614_1804_415 four-spotted chaser dragonfly male(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 28 May 2012
at 12:53 Image of day on 27 Jun 2012
A Hairy Dragonfly (species name) having a very successful hunt
over a sun warmed hedge line
This was our first ever identification of this species here.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20120627_df1_20120528_1253_042 hairy dragonfly about to catch prey insect (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
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