Dragonfly

[sandbender]

This landed next to me earlier today, it was only after downloading the photo from the camera that I realized that one of its eyes has taken a knock at some point. Poor chap.




Full size

[Toddy]

Dragonflies have been around for about 300 million years, they came before and they have outlasted the dinosaurs Used to be ones with wings over 70cms wide

Scary thought !

Thanks for the photo I know they don't live very long in temperate zones, maybe that one's just getting old in his lifetime ?

cheers,
M

[Harvestman]

Dragonflies are not my area of expertise, but I'd wager a groat or two that that is a female common red darter. I'm more sure of the gender than the species though.

Nice pic.

[Toddy]

But, but, it's yellow

and I think *plants* are given confusing names



M

[Harvestman]

*If* it is what I think, then the male is red, and the female is a sort of brownish, which might look yellow in the right light. Female dragonflies are almost always brown, at least in the smaller species, and this isn't a big one.

I'm assuming UK species, by the way.


As for silly names, I think the No-eyed Big-eyed Spider takes some beating. Genuine species, honest.

[sandbender]

"...I'd wager a groat or two that that is a female common red darter....the male is red, and the female is a sort of brownish..."

This might be a male then?



Thanks

[Harvestman]

Yup. Thats a male.

[Scots_Charles_River]

I saw a large dragonfly today, very fat body with black and white stripes, dark wings. It was over the sea about 30ft from mixed woodland, any ideas what type it was ?

[robin wood]

How close did you see it? Could it have been pale blue and black? Male broad bodied chaser?

[Scots_Charles_River]

It was about 4ft away, so definite black white striped body, like a bee.

[Dave]

Dragonflies have been around for about 300 million years....

Yep. Theyre pretty amazing really. As are the Mayflies.

[squishy]

I love seeing dragonflies, I saw my first one this year last week down by the canal. I always remember my mum telling me to get inside if a dragonfly was outside when I lived in Germany.. I'm still not quite sure why!

[Harvestman]

I love seeing dragonflies, I saw my first one this year last week down by the canal. I always remember my mum telling me to get inside if a dragonfly was outside when I lived in Germany.. I'm still not quite sure why!

People apparently believe that the long abdomen is a huge sting, and are terrified of them.

They are harmless, unless you are smaller than them.

[squishy]

I do remember them being huge over there.. although I was only a small child at the time so I expect they were really no bigger than the ones we get over here. My mum is not scared of them, and neither am I.. just one of those odd things I guess

People apparently believe that the long abdomen is a huge sting, and are terrified of them.

They are harmless, unless you are smaller than them.

[FLaKK]

here are 3 pics i took recently Sunday 05 August 2012 around the ponds here at Cuerden Valley park Lancashire... firstly a mating pair of Blue Tailed Damselflies, the female is the brownish one: -



Around the same pond i saw a female Emperor Dragonfly egg laying in some rotten wood low down near the edge of the pond.



And lastly i had to get the BDS to identify this one because i was stumped! it threw me completely... apparently it's an immature female Migrant Hawker.

[sandbender]

Those are gorgeous!

[MSkiba]

Here is one I took in spain

[FLaKK]

oh now that's a nice one,.. never seen such interesting colours, we don't get anything like that in the UK i don't think

[FLaKK]

thanks sandbender, the diagnostic feature of the migrant hawker i was told was the triangle just below the wings but i was still scratching my head until an expert told me no it's a golf tee! then it was a case of aaahh now i see it!

[woodspirits]

lovely pictures Flakk, pin sharp too. you guys will have to post more up!

[British Red]

Here are a few of mine

Beautiful Demoiselle (male)


Damsel4 by British Red, on Flickr

Mating Azure Damsels


Azure Damsel Fly by British Red, on Flickr


Azure Damsel Fly Mating by British Red, on Flickr

a few dragonflies


Dragonfly by British Red, on Flickr


Dragonfly by British Red, on Flickr


dragonfly on wheat by British Red, on Flickr


Emperor Dragonfly by British Red, on Flickr

[Dave]

Now youre just showing off! [Stunning photo's Hugh]


Arguably not quite as pretty as Dragonflies, mayflies are even older, and have been found in fossils, over 350 million years old. Like Dragonflies, they belong to the oldest oder of winged insects, palaeoptera.

There are over 2,500 species of Mayfly worldwide.
In the UK they live as nymphs on the riverbed, for up to two years, before emerging, around the time that the Hawthorn [the Mayflower] blooms.
The newly emerged adult Dun flies to a stem or the underside of a leaf, then sheds its skin again, just minutes, or hours, after emerging, [!] as a fully sexually developed mayfly. [Spinner]

They then perform the mating dance, in swarms over the surface, and live for a few minutes to a few days. Dependant on the species.
They dont have a mouth in this adult stage. So once their energy is depleted, thats it.

Populations of Mayflies, Stoneflies and Dragonflies have been in a steady decline because of Humans taking their habitat, hydro power development, pollution, acid rain etc. They are a vital source of food for all manner of wildlife, birds and fish, etc.

This is a Yorkshire 'greendrake' mayfly, Ephemera Danica, taken in upper Airedale earlier this year:

[IMG][/IMG]

They are normally only around for 2-3 weeks. This is called 'duffers fortnight', in fly fishing, as the trout go crazy for them, leaping out of the water. And even 'duffers' with a basic mayfly pattern can catch!

[sandbender]

I posted links to these previously but folks looking at this thread might appreciate them...

The Tiszavirág, once every three years these 'explode' out of the rivers of Hungary, this highly protected insect is from the same order as the Mayfly (Ephemeroptera), however these beasts can measure 12 cm from 'nose' to 'tail'



Gallery

[Dave]

Those Gallery photos are cool. I'd like to see that first hand.

[wattsy]

dragonflies have amazing names they sound like fighter planes. I've seen a few kicking around recently but never had any land to take a photo

[Harvestman]

One of mine taken on Saturday