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The Daily Bucket - A dragonfly display, 'cause June was Odonata month. [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2023-07-03
male Halloween Pennant
Making more Halloween Pennants.
A female dragonfly will attach her “pinchers” to the top of a male’s head. The male will loop his body forward to impregnate the female. This movement happens when the pair lands. During flight, the female will remain attached but the male must detach to become aerodynamic. Here is a video of Pondhawks mating while perched on a reed.
male Calico Pennant — Celithemis elisa
female Calico Pennant
female Banded Pennant — Celithemis fasciata
male Banded Pennant
female Pondhawk — Erythemis simpicicollis
male Pondhawk
female Ornate Pennant — Celithemis ornata
female Broad-striped Forceptail — Aphylla angustifolia
Lets take a look at Damselflies.
male Familiar Bluet — Engallagma civile
female Blue-tipped Dancer — Argia tibalis
All dragonflies lay their eggs in water. Here is a Damselfly depositing eggs.
male Blue-tipped Dancer
male Eastern Forktail — Ischnura verticalis
I wondered how these creatures kept their wings clean. I shot this video of the Forktail grooming. Flipping it’s tail upward and stroking the wings (like sharpening a knife) is a good technique.
female Southern Spreadwing — Lestes australis
female Sparkling Jewelwing — Calopteryx dimidiata
female American Rubyspot — Hetaerina americana
male Fragile Forktail — Ischnure posita
male Ebony Jewelwing — Calopteryx maculata
male Eastern Amberwing — Perithemis tenera
male Jade Clubtail — Arigomphus submedianus
male Autumn Meadowhawk — Sympetrum vicinum
female Western River Cruiser — Didymops transversa
male Needam’s Skimmer — Libellyla needami
female Widow Skimmer — Libelulla luctuosa
Dragonflies use their mandibles like duel cleavers, skewers, chop sticks and shredders while eating. The River Cruiser below enjoys a housefly (discarding the wings).
female Grey Pedaltail — Tachopteryx thoreyi
male Blue Dasher — Pachydiplax longipennis
male Twelve-spotted Skimmer — Libelulla Pulchella
Most of the larger Dragonflies (like the Twelve-spotted Skimmer above and the Widow Skimmer) have wings that create a “sheen” when the light is angled. Here is a very short video showing that.
male Spangled Skimmer — Libelulla cyanea
female Yellow-sided Skimmer — Libelulla flavida
male Common Whitetail — Plathemis lydia
female Common Whitetail
female Blue Corporal — Ladona deplanta
male Blue Corporal
male Slaty Skimmer — Libelulla incesta
I count almost 3 dozen individual photos. I have more shots in my files of various situations where dragonflies are involved. I expect to find more in the future. I’ll leave you with one more Halloween Pennant shot.
female Halloween Pennant
I will be at the Vet’s office with Rascal ( my new cat) this morning. When I get home, I’ll catch up on all the conversations.
“To the Vet’s office!” “What does that mean?”
Please consider this an Open Thread and mark your calendar for the Dkos ART EXPO tomorrow. Here is a “sneak peek” ( intimate detail ) of one piece shown.
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