Re: New Things In Your Pond Today...

by FloBear 11th August 2018, 8:08 pm

I have spent a big chunk of today watching two dragonflies emerging. They must have been late risers, like me, as there were at least four shed skins (exuviae, I have found out) around already. Took about 50 photos! It was a bad day for emerging, rather cool, light drizzle on and off, so they took 5 to 6 hours from when I found them just breaking out to when they flew off. Here is no.1, after just over 5 hours' effort, warming up its flight muscles before launching into the maiden flight.

by Dandelion 12th August 2018, 1:27 pm

Amazing!! Good observation and good camera work!!

by FloBear 12th August 2018, 6:30 pm

There was another one today - already out when I got up but has spent all day unable to fly off because of the breeze and the rain. Had its wings outspread for a while but they got covered in fine drizzle so it folded them back in.

by Ploshkin 15th August 2018, 9:56 am

Oh, that is just amazing Flobear. I always see dragonflies each year and have seen them laying eggs on the pond but I have never witnessed one emerging.
We get the big striped ones and also broad bodied chasers.

by FloBear 15th August 2018, 4:57 pm

It's something I've always wanted to witness but never managed to get up at dawn - which is when they generally emerge, I believe.
I now feel somewhat proprietorial about them and was glad to see a Common Aeshna fly around in the garden for a while this morning.

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