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Dragonflies and Damselflies 2011

  • 18-04-2011 12:32pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Last years thread well worth a browse I think :)

    Today, I have spotted 2 Large Red Damselflies emerging from my lake.

    I tried a time-lapse of one, but you'll see that it did so much moving around before the metamorphosis commenced that it didn't complete before the battery ran dead. It may have been camera shy. :) Every time I came back to camera, it had moved!!


    I am currently taking time-lapse of the other one, which is at a more advanced state. It may move out of view or battery may not last....


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    Love it :) and very cool to see the real time ticking away...;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    I think one of the more remarkable aspects of the emergence are the legs coming out of the original legs.

    Was at another pond locally in a warmer site than my garden yesterday and there has been a mass emergence of Large Red Damselfly during past week and also a Hairy Dragonfly had just emerged yesterday.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    A marked increase in activity today at this other pond. So keep an eye out if you're at water.
    Dozen's of Large Red Damselfly taking flight, 7 Hairy Dragonfly emerging along with yesterday's which was still there and another exuvia found makes 9 in all. Also a female Azure Damselfly was found in amongst all the Large Red Damselfly

    Too windy to attempt time-lapse today, but I may visit pond early in following days to see if I can capture a Hairy Dragonfly emerging

    The male Hairy Dragonfly with a crumpled wing tip
    F6E76B4E817541B88AAB66CFDA7F9DA0-0000317152-0002277858-00640L-AC6098FEC0784C3490D3F5A4AF42B2D0.jpg

    This may be why it's called Hairy Dragonfly...
    BE61AA31B1EC4CC19225EB2D5B6E7B37-0000317152-0002277860-00640L-1316CD9011114FEB922A15A66A594A6F.jpg

    One that emerged today. Head of exuvia (larval skin) in view.9FA7FEDCB3EA4DDCB36CB30E096C7C1E-0000317152-0002277859-00640L-D9BE1DA577C345C4A1F67379942CBEEA.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Another new species today. A number of Four-spotted Chasers emerging.
    Not quite in focus, but i'll share it anyway.
    5F387D0355A141B29A67F9684BBBD9B2-0000317152-0002279891-00800L-C2120F8FE43E478EA7781904FA87778F.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Tried another time-lapse of an emergence, but I was 30 minutes too late for the aspect I'm looking for with my tripod being too tall. Also the sea breeze picked up and it became increasingly shaky.

    I'll try again tomorrow to get the "must see" that I'm after :)

    This is a Four-spotted Chaser emerging. One of about 13 today.
    The dragonfly climbed a stem just after 10am and there was a break of about 4 minutes. It looks much longer, but it was just the change in angle


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    I think this is a much better time-lapse though you don't see it fly away.
    Hairy Dragonfly this morning


    My daughter loves looking at it in reverse :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    A dew covered Four Spotted Chaser. Light wasn't very good.
    B43491E33B74466094A6A45E08A96A3D-0000317152-0002284682-00640L-2F5E3EDF8B4F4E94A4D7F2413CA004C4.jpg

    This one about to take its maiden flight
    FAC1F510EBBA4CD1837AB2B084B27C89-0000317152-0002284681-00640L-771C483A3D594AB3810B8E4ED94622F2.jpg

    The exuvia (larval skin) of Four-spotted Chaser on right emerged in morning, the adult had left by the time the one on right arrived during afternoon. Underneath is exuvia of Large Red Damselfly from some days earlier
    7798FADCDF05426D81C589A17C2B18A4-0000317152-0002284677-00640L-74C34DC94BED44DBA29E688181FFE552.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Not mad on these things either! :p

    3F199393D39B4397A187768BC27815BB-0000315944-0002307446-00800L-4767FD7B8E2546238B7A3EDA4EC7210F.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,100 ✭✭✭nilhg


    Two from today, down the woods quite a distance from water, I was surprised to see these.

    5700411251_73569ce759_z.jpg
    Dragonfly by cilldara, on Flickr

    5700979938_378b2a5760_z.jpg
    Damselfly by cilldara, on Flickr


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Male Hairy Dragonfly/Spring Hawker and female Large Red Damselfly. A female Hairy Dragonfly/Spring Hawker in previous photo.

    Dragonflies will often be far from water. They take a week a or 2 as adults before they are mature and females usually only go to water to mate and oviposit (lay eggs) Also when one consider how quick they can fly, it doesn't take long to cover a few km.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    D73AD7B412924412AB27D205CA9A19F7-0000335208-0002312475-00800L-5031E79CEE6D4949815317F6776C3C55.jpg

    each to their own eh :D
    9A5E1A18B4CA4E689E4E95D7D609C11E-0000335208-0002312474-00800L-165D0061CB884025937503EEAC2A323E.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 320 ✭✭thebishop


    These were taken at a man made pond (NPWS) in Glengarriff.Anyone recomend a good book on damsels.
    Heart.jpg
    Damsels.jpg
    Damsel2.jpg
    Damsel1-1.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    thebishop wrote: »
    These were taken at a man made pond (NPWS) in Glengarriff.
    These are all Large Red Damselflies. Did you see the amount of mites on the 2nd last one :eek:
    Anyone recomend a good book on damsels.
    While I only have the one book, I think there are 2 options.

    Smallshire and Swash Britain's Dragonflies
    Brooks Field guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain & Ireland

    Also if you will be visiting europe...
    K-D.B.Dijkstra Field guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe

    I have Brooks and have not seen the other 2. The European one uses different vernacular (English names), I don't know whether Smallshire follows this or not, but I'd if I was getting a guide today, I'd probably get Smallshire which is 2010 vs Brooks 2004.

    Here is a list of Dragonfly names
    The names in bold are where the European guide differ from the names used by British Dragonfly Society


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,601 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    i wish the weather got a bit warmer/less breezy/more humid to bring more of these delightfull creatures out to play!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭mr socco


    Do people here feel that numbers of Dragonflies and Damselflies have increased in recent years? Think personally that they have, at least around my area anyway. I know the EPA published generally improved water quality so maybe this is having some impact!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    What's this one MM? Best I can do is... female...

    D8D4C25795F64819AD46EA6F8A050263-0000331913-0002349541-00500L-AD93AFAE14C34F4B9FAB69FF29A81C34.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    littlebug wrote: »
    What's this one MM? Best I can do is... female...
    Yes, I think it's a female, but immature males may have no colour either.

    As for species, I'm trying to see if there is one or 2 little black stripes on side of thorax. If there is only one then it is Common Blue Damselfly/Common Bluet.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    Thanks MM. From a couple of other photos from slightly different angles I think there is only stripe. Common Blue it is.

    I was looking out for black tailed skimmer. no sign yet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    [IMG]http://[/img]Bandeddam.jpgSaw one Banded Demoiselle down on the Lagan, yesterday afternoon, can't decide if it's late or early

    [IMG]http://[/img]Bandeddam.jpgBandeddam.jpg
    Bandeddam.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Durnish wrote: »
    [IMG]http://[/img]Bandeddam.jpgcan't decide if it's late or early
    Bandeddam.jpg
    Neither :confused::)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    I was puzzled because usually there would be lots of these on the same stretch but I could only find the wan.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Durnish wrote: »
    I was puzzled because usually there would be lots of these on the same stretch but I could only find the wan.
    I wonder if the heat had something to do with it. Perhaps they were higher up or had finished being active for the day. It should be peak season.


  • Registered Users Posts: 719 ✭✭✭V Bull


    Some Dragonflies that I saw yesterday in Wicklow..

    img6589e.jpg

    img6690q.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    EDE17C17BDEC47F59B816F8CD10E19D6-0000335208-0002376926-00800L-466A4E27CB874D598BBAFA1883EE5397.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭F.R.


    Banded Demoiselle I think
    Phoenix%252520Park%252520068.JPG


  • Registered Users Posts: 819 ✭✭✭mikka631


    Damselfly_190611_1.jpg

    Damselfly_190611_2.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    oh, I can see the tell tale identity mark on that last one, now where's my dragonfly book?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Durnish wrote: »
    oh, I can see the tell tale identity mark on that last one, now where's my dragonfly book?
    Would I spoil it for you if I add labels to the photos :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    yes.

    Azure? (Variable as a back up choice)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭wgsten


    One from the banks of the river Liffey.
    00192192.jpg


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