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Dragonfly emerging

micearguersmicearguers CambridgePosts: 466
in Wildlife gardening
Today I was astonished to see a dragonfly on a waterlily pad, freshly out of its nymph husk. It was something of a miracle out of our tiny pond (2.5 square meters).







At some point it had disappeared; unfortunately I had missed the moment.



However, it reappeared later:

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Posts

  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Greater ManchesterPosts: 653
    Wow!  What a fantastic thing to see up close!  The pictures are amazing, thanks for sharing. 
  • LisaDWLisaDW Posts: 21
    Amazing! Lovely pictures 😃
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 66,307
    Great photos  :)
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • micearguersmicearguers CambridgePosts: 466
    Thanks everyone. It was a joy really to witness, and I was nearly jumping with excitement. Not really sure what species it is; looking at https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/dragonflies-2/ perhaps a Golden-ringed Dragonfly? It does seem to be a very sizable specimen.
  • micearguersmicearguers CambridgePosts: 466
    Patterning and habitat suggests Southern Hawker is a better match, on second thought. Hopefully someone can identify it?
  • FireFire LondonPosts: 7,756
    Amazing. Thanks for sharing. I would love to put in a bigger pond, I just don't know where it would go. :|
  • pansyfacepansyface PEAK DISTRICT DerbyshirePosts: 18,001
    We had a similar event but unfortunately not as good a camera. 🙂

    Here is a bit more of the process..


    🙂
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
  • micearguersmicearguers CambridgePosts: 466
    Wow @pansyface you captured it shedding the nymph skin. That is spectacular (and a very good picture too). I assume it is still near water?
  • pansyfacepansyface PEAK DISTRICT DerbyshirePosts: 18,001
    The water is directly underneath, the pale grey stuff.

    I wonder what those white cottony threads are. They are in your photos too.
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
  • micearguersmicearguers CambridgePosts: 466
    @pansyface that's an interesting question. Here http://marcheath.blogspot.com/2016/05/some-dragonfly-exuviae-science.html the writer describes how the nymph seems to change its breathing in the last days, and as I understand it the threads are part of the breathing system. It's not clear to me if the implication is that the threads will also correspond to opened tunnels in the dragonfly body supporting oxygen exchange.

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