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Tag Archives: dragonflies

258/366 Oviposition

14 Monday Sep 2020

Posted by sconzani in insects

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dragonflies, dragonfly ovipositing, oviposition, pond, reflections in pond

Something of an arty shot today: reflections of oviposition at the pond this morning. [Normal service will be resumed tomorrow!]

200914 ovipositing

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127/366 First dragonflies

06 Wednesday May 2020

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British dragonflies, Broad-bodied Chaser, dragonflies, dragonfly, Lavernock Nature Reserve

I was delighted to see my first dragonflies of the year at Lavernock Nature Reserve during this morning’s walk: two female (with the golden abdomen) and two male (blue abdomen) Broad-bodied chasers.

200506 Broad-bodied chaser (1)200506 Broad-bodied chaser (2)200506 Broad-bodied chaser (3)

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296/365 Migrant hawkers

23 Wednesday Oct 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, insects, nature

≈ 2 Comments

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British dragonflies, dragonflies, dragonfly, Migrant hawker

Yesterday was the first time I’ve ever seen female (on the left) and male Migrant hawkers together. These two were hanging on a fence at Goldcliff lagoons, near Newport. What a treat!

191023 migrant hawkers

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247/365 On the menu

04 Wednesday Sep 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature

≈ 4 Comments

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#365DaysWild, British dragonflies, dragonflies, dragonfly, dragonfly eating wasp, Hawker dragonflies, Southern hawker, wasp

Today’s lunchtime snack for this Southern hawker dragonfly had a sting in the tail: it was a wasp. The dragonfly, though, started its meal from the other end, first devouring the head, then removing the wings, before steadily munching its way down the body.

190904 southern hawker (2)

This was obviously not good news for the wasp but it was good news for me, as this was the first Southern hawker that’s stayed still long enough this year for me to grab some photos.

190904 southern hawker (1)

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237/365 A resident migrant

25 Sunday Aug 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British dragonflies, dragonflies, dragonfly, Hawker dragonfly, Migrant hawker

The Migrant hawker’s name is somewhat misleading – it does still like to migrate away from where it was hatched and was once only seen in Britain when it migrated here from Europe. But, since the 1940s, ever increasing numbers have come here and this species does now breed in Britain, where its range continues to expand northwards.

190825 migrant hawker (1)

I’ve seen a few of these dragonflies this year but today was the first time one has settled long enough for me to get a few photos. That was probably because, despite our high daytime temperatures, it is now quite a bit cooler at night, and, as I was out relatively early this morning, I found this little one still basking in the sun trying to warm up.

190825 migrant hawker (2)

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177/365 Skimmers

26 Wednesday Jun 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature

≈ 4 Comments

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#365DaysWild, Black-tailed skimmer, British dragonflies, Cosmeston, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, dragonflies, dragonfly

I was just saying to someone the other day that I haven’t been seeing many dragonflies this year and what happens? The very next time I go walking at Cosmeston, I see several.

190626 black-tailed skimmers (2)

These two Black-tailed skimmers were the most obliging, as they tend to station themselves along the pathways through the wildflower fields, rising up as you get near them and then re-settling a little further along the path. If you watch where they land and you’re slow and quiet as you approach, you can get quite near them.

190626 black-tailed skimmers (1)

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143/365 Chasing the chasers

23 Thursday May 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature, spring

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#365DaysWild, British dragonflies, Cosmeston, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, dragonflies, dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser

I’ve spotted a few dragonflies already this year – a Broad-bodied chaser at Lavernock last Monday and a couple in other places that have zoomed past so quickly I’ve not been able to follow or find them – but today the Four-spotted chasers were out in force at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park.

190523 four-spotted chaser (1)

I counted four scooting around the Dragonfly Pond but, as it’s fenced off (rightly so, as I’m sure irresponsible dog owners would otherwise allow their pets to swim in the pond, as they do at other nature reserves), I couldn’t get close enough for reasonable photos. I was actually pleased to get the flight shot above, as they’re never easy.

Then, after I’d moved away from the pond and was searching instead for butterflies, this beauty flew past and landed in a nearby tree, and I managed to grab a few quick photos before it raced off again. It’s such a treat to have the dragonflies out and active again!

190523 four-spotted chaser (2)

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Descrying dragons

21 Tuesday Aug 2018

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Black-tailed skimmer, British dragonflies, Common Darter, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, dragonflies, Emperor dragonfly, Lavernock Nature Reserve, Migrant hawker

I’ve not seen a huge number of dragonflies this summer, possibly because of the heatwave, which has seen water levels shrink to record lows and the pond at Lavernock Nature Reserve dry up altogether. Luckily, not all dragonflies spend their adult lives in close proximity to water so I have enjoyed some close encounters along field edges and pathways. Here are a few of those recent dragons.

180821 migrant hawker (1)
180821 migrant hawker (2)

These two are both Migrant hawkers; one was near the pond at Lavernock before it dried up completely, the other was just hanging around on vegetation beside the south Wales coastal path, a good choice as there are always an abundance of flying insects along the path’s hedgerows.

180821 emperor

This Emperor was hawking low over the tall wildflowers and grasses in one of the paddocks at Cosmeston. I had to wait quite a while for it to settle, then creep up very slowly and silently to get this photo, but it was worth the wait.

180821 Common darter male
180821 Common darter female

180821 Common darters mating

Last year at this time Cosmeston Lakes Country Park seemed to be swarming with Common darters – they sat like mini sculptures on every gate and fencepost, and there were so many sitting warming themselves on every piece of stone along the pathways that you had to be careful not to step on them. This year I’ve seen very few so it was a delight first to see this male (the red) and female in one paddock and then to spot the mating pair in another field. Let’s hope they return in numbers next year.

180821 black-tailed skimmers

Those Common darters weren’t the only mating dragonflies I almost disturbed at Cosmeston this week, as my stomping carelessly along the path homeward caused these two Black-tailed skimmers to fly up and away. Luckily, they didn’t fly far and I was able to get my camera out and take a few photos before leaving them to carry on their sterling efforts.

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Here be dragons

10 Sunday Jun 2018

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature, nature photography, parks

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#30DaysWild, 30 Days Wild, Black-tailed skimmer, British dragonflies, Cosmeston, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, dragonflies, Emperor dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Odonata

This is Wales. We have dragons!
More specifically, this was Cosmeston Lakes Country Park on day 10 of #30DaysWild, where I managed to find three different species of dragonfly.

180610 Black-tailed skimmer immature male

An immature male Black-tailed skimmer

180610 Broad-bodied chaser male

A mature male Black-tailed skimmer

180610 Emperor female (1)

Above and below, a female Emperor, ovipositing (i.e. egg-laying)

180610 Emperor female (2)

180610 Four-spotted chaser (1)

As above, so below: Four-spotted chasers

180610 Four-spotted chaser (2)

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Sitting on the fence

12 Thursday Oct 2017

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Black darter, Common Darter, dragonflies, flies, hoverflies, Myathropa florea, sitting on the fence

Have you ever noticed that some small beasties like to sit on fences?

171012 Common darter (3)

I guess fences are often a good spot to sunbathe, and to keep a look out, and they probably resemble logs and branches to the mini-beasts.

171012 Common darter (1)
171012 Common darter (2)

Common darter dragonflies are keen fence-sitters – they don’t even mind barbed-wire fences. And I was particularly delighted to find the Black darter dragonfly (below) sitting on a fence at Cosmeston the other day – my first sighting of this species.

171012 Black darter

Flies and hoverflies also enjoy a spot of fence-sitting and can often be found taking care of their ablutions in such places. So, the next time you decide to sit on the fence, make sure some other creature hasn’t beaten you to it! 

171012 fly (1)
171012 fly (2)
171012 Myathropa florea
171012 Pollenia rudis

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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