Monday, June 04, 2007

Damselfly Orgy

Here are the aforementioned damselflies. In total, we have 9 individuals, including two females with attached males laying there eggs on submerged water willow. These little guys were hovering all over the water willow. Looking for mates, I presume. Damselflies have intensely bright colors best appreciated with some close focusing binoculars. In the past most identification was done in the laboratory after catching these creatures, but once dead they loose their magnificent color. Various guides, both local and national, have come out that help you identify them with binoculars. According to my count, there are at least 8 powdered dancers, Argia moesta, in this photo. The males look like they have been coated in blue-gray talcum powder, hence the name. The only females in this shot are at the bottom, and they are attached to males, who actually seemed to over in the air while their abdomens were pointed straight down into the water, somehow holding onto the partially submerged ovipositing (that's the official name for laying eggs used by experts) female. A single male of another species also popped into this shot, and although I am not certain, I have seen and photographed Stream Bluets, and these seemed to match . Not as large as the powdered, this damsel is jet black and blue, quite a stunner.

 
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