Broad Bodied Chasers

At long last a break in the weather, today dawned sunny and warm, although a stiff westerly breeze was still blowing. The garden was alive with insects, particularly Bumble Bees. I guess they were all a tad hungry after such awful weather precluded them foraging.

My eagle eyed good lady alerted me to a probable female Broad Bodied Chaser sunning itself in one of the shrubs. I know these are the most common of our dragonflies but I had a hunch that this one is one of "our" dragonflies. I wasn't dead certain that it had come from our pond, but I had photographed a female laying eggs in one of the plant containers in the pond on June 19th last year. I know that the nymph phase can be one or two years but "ours" seem too small to be mature. However, having detected one more in the bushes I finally found one on the reeds in the pond, obviously newly emerged. Its body was small and the wings not fully extended and possibly a male. I observed this individual for about two hours and monitored its first flight - all of four metres - a short pause then into full flight.

After it had gone I found two exuviae at the base of the reeds, there are lots more nymphs in the pond and I am really hoping I can capture a series of emergence shots.

Pristine and newly emerged. Libellula depressa

Hanging out to dry

Ready to go

First flight - 4 metres

Exuvia - proof they are "ours"

Exuvia - underside

 These are the photographs from last year

BBC female laying eggs

BBC eggs