Saturday, June 28, 2008

Stream Bluet Stack 'em Up



Megan and I are in the midst of packing. Somehow, water soaked our basement floor this past week, just after our 5 inch rain night. The strange thing is, we haven't figured out how the water go in. It didn't come through the walls, because they were all dry. Just strange. Anyways, we're busy packing all our things into boxes in the basement so the wet carpet can be ripped up. It is starting to smell horribly like mildew. We've had fans and the dehumidifier running 24/7.

The evening I took this picture, earlier this week, there were stream bluets covering the banks of the river. They are fascinating creatures. What makes the males all get together like this? Are they hoping a female might fly by? Why are there so many more males than females? The females I do see have usually found a male. Nature is full of questions, isn't it?

Tom

7 comments:

  1. Tom: I had one of these babies land on my shirt while fishing Thursday, I tried for the camera to no avail. It flew away. This is a great picture.

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  3. I need to get my head on straight. I like the damsel flies. Never saw them line up like that.

    I usually see one now and then but have to follow it all over the yard to get a photo.

    Here where I live south of I-70 the neighbors have sump pump problems and when heavy rains hit the water seeps into the basement, somehow, through the sump pump. When the pump is either fixed or replaced the problem is solved.

    I don't know if it is the flooded basement problem you have or not but it might be worth a check.

    Abe in Brookville

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  4. Lovely flies. They're like little, flying jewels, aren't they?
    Sometimes sewage can back up into houses after heavy rains. The house I grew up in had this problem. From what I understand, there are special traps you can install these days to prevent it.

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  5. Great lineup of damselflies.

    I hope it takes your mind off the water in the basement. Been there, done that, and it's no fun (but you're already figured that out). Sounds like you're moving just in time.

    PS Sometimes you never find out how the water's getting in. It's as bad as roofs leaking.

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  6. Great picture of the bluets! Sorry about the water in the basement....been there, done that. Hope nothing but the carpet is runied.

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  7. Thanks Everyone,

    Fortunately, we are all cleaned up from our debacle, and we'll be moving soon. Hopefully we won't have any problems in the future at our new house- the first that we will OWN!

    Tom

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