Dragonflies - Communal Thread

[xmh]

Male Hairy Dragonfly from Somerset


Hairy Dragonfly : Brachytron pratense by Jerry Hawker, on Flickr

 

[Brachytron]

Large Red Damselfly

Large Red Damselfly by Mark Tyrrell, on Flickr

 

[RedRobin]

My first Large Red Damselfly of the 2016 flight season....



^ Click image to see more on Flickr

 

[Brachytron]

A few more from yesterday

Female Common Blue Damselfly

Immature Common Blue Damselfly by Mark Tyrrell, on Flickr

Female Blue-tailed Damselfly

Immature female Blue-tailed Damselfly by Mark Tyrrell, on Flickr

 

[Deleted member 34016]

My 1st of 2016

Four Spot Chaser in my Yard

1st Dragon of 2016 by Les Moxon, on Flickr

Tamron 150-600mm so it's not the best shot I have taken lol

Les

 

[Gaz J]

Some ID help would be appreciated here. I'm not even sure if I've got the sex right.

I think that these are:

1. Immature Common Blue Male.
Common Blue Damselfly

2. Same as 1.
Common Blue Damselfly

3. Large Red Damselfly Female.
Large Red Damselfly

 

[Brachytron]

Hi @Gaz J. You are right on the Common Blue ID.

I think your Large Red is a female Azure Damselfly. I love the transparency on the abdomen.

 

[Gaz J]

Thanks Mark. The second one must have emerged about an hour previously.

Can you ID this one please. I thought this was a Large Red but only by its eye but perhaps the same as the second above?

 

[PINNACLE]

My first of the year


1 Four Spotted Chaser by Martin Billard, on Flickr

 

[Brachytron]

Hi @Gaz J. Your new one is indeed a Large Red Damselfly.

 

[Gaz J]

Hi @Gaz J. Your new one is indeed a Large Red Damselfly.

Thanks Mark. I've learnt that they have a uniquely shaped stripe on the thorax in these species.

 

[PINNACLE]

Four Spotted Chasers in flight are a bit tricky and my settings were not right as been taking Hobby photos so will try and improve. 420mm is also tricky to follow them.


Four Spotted Chaser by Martin Billard, on Flickr


Four Spotted Chase by Martin Billard, on Flickr

 

[wezza13]

Still haven't seen any Damsel's or Dragon's yet down this way. Been checking the pond every day.

Hopefully soon!

 

[Brachytron]

Still haven't seen any Damsel's or Dragon's yet down this way. Been checking the pond every day.

Hopefully soon!

Kent had the first sightings this year, so they are definitely around.

 

[wezza13]

Kent had the first sightings this year, so they are definitely around.

Cheers, I'll have to look harder then!

But the three big ponds (one of them is lake sized) in our village haven't got any yet - fingers crossed

 

[xmh]

Seems to be quite a few around in Somerset.


Broad-bodied chaser : Libellula depressa : Male by Jerry Hawker, on Flickr


Broad-bodied chaser : Libellula depressa : Female by Jerry Hawker, on Flickr


Four-spotted chaser : Libellula quadrimaculata : Female by Jerry Hawker, on Flickr

 

[PINNACLE]

/\ Beauty

 

[anisah]

Great shots of the Chasers. Living a lot further north, with very much cooler weather, we have seen very little evidence of dragonflies and only a few butterflies yet. Really appreciate you sharing these lovely shots.

 

[Brachytron]

Two emerging Downy Emeralds..

Female Downy Emerald by Mark Tyrrell, on Flickr

Female Downy Emerald by Mark Tyrrell, on Flickr

 

[PINNACLE]

Great shots Mark here is one flying I took earlier



Downy Emerald Dragonfly Cordulia aenea)( by Martin Billard, on Flickr


Downy Emerald Dragonfly by Martin Billard, on Flickr

 

[PINNACLE]

A bit boring of me to keep posting Downy Emerald'ss but that's all I have seen. Getting to grips with the inflight manual focus a bit better now.


Downy Emerald Dragonfly in flight by Martin Billard, on Flickr


Downy Emerald Dragonfly in flight by Martin Billard, on Flickr


Downy Emerald Dragonfly in flight by Martin Billard, on Flickr

 

[xmh]

@PINNACLE Great in-flights.

Saw my first two Downy emeralds of the season today, no photos though

 

[Gaz J]

Some more newly emerged. No idea what they are.

Thanks for looking.

1.
Damselfly

2.
Damselfly

3.
Damselfly

 

[Brachytron]

@PINNACLE - great shots. Can't wait to see mine in flight in a few weeks time.

 

[Brachytron]

Hi @Gaz J - the two black stripes, one incomplete, on the side of the thorax suggest they are Azure Damselflies

 

[Gaz J]

Hi @Gaz J - the two black stripes, one incomplete, on the side of the thorax suggest they are Azure Damselflies

thanks Mark

 

[Brachytron]

Broad-bodied Chaser

Broad-bodied Chaser by Mark Tyrrell, on Flickr

Scarce Chaser - just emerged

Scarce Chaser by Mark Tyrrell, on Flickr

 

[peterjones00]

Some amazing shots there

 

[Gaz J]

Some Emperor Dragonflies between 1-3 hours after emerging. No.1 didn't make it as it obviously had an issue with pumping its wings up.

Had seen quite a lot of exuvia but no dragonflies so went down around 6-7am and found quite a few newly emerged.

Thanks for looking

1.
Emperor Dragonfly

2.
Emperor Dragonfly


3.
Emperor Dragonfly

4.
Emperor Dragonfly

 

[Brachytron]

Some Emperor Dragonflies between 1-3 hours after emerging. No.1 didn't make it as it obviously had an issue with pumping its wings up.

Had seen quite a lot of exuvia but no dragonflies so went down around 6-7am and found quite a few newly emerged.

Thanks for looking

1.
Emperor Dragonfly

2.
Emperor Dragonfly


3.
Emperor Dragonfly

4.
Emperor Dragonfly

Cold mornings are often the cause of the wings not expanding correctly. A real shame when the larva has spent 2 years growing, only to fail at the last moment.

 

[Testudo Man]

Some excellent Odonata images for 2016 so far guys, keep em coming.

Ive been chasing Butterfly images the last few months...but i did squeeze in a couple of sessions this last week, for Damselfly/Dragonfly shots.

As ever, Im not sure of the exact species sometimes, so Im happy to be corrected, if i get it wrong!...Cheers Paul.

Recently emerged Damselfly (uncropped). 24th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Banded Demoiselle (male). 24th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Female Banded Demoiselle (uncropped). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Red-eyed Damselfly, immature Male? 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Red-eyed Damselfly (male). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

 

[Testudo Man]

Several more images.
Yesterday, i took 3 camera "set ups" out in the field with me, in order to compare, so some of the images may be similar!

Cheers Paul.

Beautiful Demoiselle, immature Male (uncropped). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Beautiful Demoiselle, immature Male (uncropped). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Beautiful Demoiselle, immature Male (uncropped). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Beautiful Demoiselle, immature Male (uncropped). 29th May 2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

 

[cruso]

Theirs some cracking shot this year?

 

[Brachytron]

Some excellent Odonata images for 2016 so far guys, keep em coming.

Ive been chasing Butterfly images the last few months...but i did squeeze in a couple of sessions this last week, for Damselfly/Dragonfly shots.

As ever, Im not sure of the exact species sometimes, so Im happy to be corrected, if i get it wrong!...Cheers Paul.

Recently emerged Damselfly (uncropped). 24th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Banded Demoiselle (male). 24th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Female Banded Demoiselle (uncropped). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Red-eyed Damselfly, immature Male? 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Red-eyed Damselfly (male). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Hi Paul. All ids correct. The one you haven't id'd ( the first one), is a White-legged Damselfly.

 

[Testudo Man]

Hi Paul. All ids correct. The one you haven't id'd ( the first one), is a White-legged Damselfly.

Thanks very much for that ID Mark, thats a real bonus knowing its a White-legged too because as a rule, i dont see many of those throughout the season.

The reason i didnt ID that 1st Damselfly, is because i wasnt sure what it was!!! Since it had not long emerged, i just didnt give it much thought, but i have to say, i didnt consider a White legged.

Cheers Paul.

 

[DaveAP]

I was wondering if someone could ID this damselfly for me. I realise that these images are probably not the best when it comes to ID! Looking at the images in this thread it looks like it could be an immature common blue... is that correct do you think?

IMG_2010 by David Poulton, on Flickr

IMG_2002 by David Poulton, on Flickr

 

[Brachytron]

Hi @DaveAP, I think you are right, it' s a recently emerged Common Blue Damselfly. If male, the blue colour appears over a few days.

 

[Graham]

Hi all, I dont normally come into this section but I would like a ID on these 2.
This 1st one I have no idea what one it is.
Please note that I`m in the South of France
Thanks
Maybe a Keeled skimmer ?


This one I guess is a Ruddy darter ?

@Brachytron Your advice please.
Thanks

 

[DaveAP]

Hi @DaveAP, I think you are right, it' s a recently emerged Common Blue Damselfly. If male, the blue colour appears over a few days.

Thanks Mark, good to know

 

[wezza13]

Some excellent Odonata images for 2016 so far guys, keep em coming.

Ive been chasing Butterfly images the last few months...but i did squeeze in a couple of sessions this last week, for Damselfly/Dragonfly shots.

As ever, Im not sure of the exact species sometimes, so Im happy to be corrected, if i get it wrong!...Cheers Paul.

Recently emerged Damselfly (uncropped). 24th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Banded Demoiselle (male). 24th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Female Banded Demoiselle (uncropped). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Red-eyed Damselfly, immature Male? 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

Red-eyed Damselfly (male). 29th-May-2016. by Testudo Man, on Flickr

A brilliant series there, Paul. Well taken