My Garden Pond - Large Red damselflies

I haven't been looking at the pond for quite a while but checked this afternoon for Damsels? There were four teneral Large Red Damselflies including a male and female close enough for the camera...

Here's the male, note the slim abdomen...

A female forma typica amongst the Aubrieta flowers

Same Damsel offering a nice close up!

I'm sure there will be more soon!!

Whixall Moss - Darter and Damsel

I had planned to spend most of the day on the Moss but roughly 40 mins into the session, a rather nasty thunderstorm scuppered that - I was soaked to the skin! Never mind, at least I didn't get struck by lightning and I did at least see my main target (at the third visit). A super fresh teneral male  White-faced Darter!

The appearance at this stage is very much like a female but the markings, shape and appendages point to 'male'. I'm sure I'll be back to find a mature male in due course?

There was no shortage of Large Red Damselfly and this male was the last but one insect I pointed the camera at!

The last was this Common Heath moth (one of two seen). next to the main path.

My Garden Pond - Teneral Large Red Damselfly test

I've had plenty of time to keep an eye on the garden pond lately and haven't noted a single Dragon or Damsel emerging. Well today my luck was in as I found a freshly emerged male Large Red Damselfly, tucked down in the leafy pond vegetation...

Here he comes...

And eventually reaching the top of the stems...

All the time drying those wings out!

A close up to finish ...

My Garden Pond - Teneral Large Red Damselfly

I've had plenty of time to keep an eye on the garden pond lately and haven't noted a single Dragon or Damsel emerging. Well today my luck was in as I found a freshly emerged male Large Red Damselfly, tucked down in the leafy pond vegetation...

Here he comes...

And eventually reaching the top of the stems...

All the time drying those wings out!

A close up to finish ...

My Garden Pond - Large Red Damselfly

What a start! After absolutely no Damselflies at all during the past month, a pair of Azure Damsels yesterday and now a pair of Large Red Damselfly show up! These are always the first Damsel species to emerge but they have taken their time to get to me!

These are easy to identify in Shropshire. They are the only 'likely' red coloured damsel in the county but watch this space, one day there may be small reds?

Coupling in the 'tandem' position they were flitting from flower to various leafy perches...

Before egg laying commenced!

Hmm, that's not a good idea - the eggs may perish in the heat of the sun!

But yes, success here - underneath the lily pads will do nicely! Here's hoping for a 'hatch' of my own in 2021?

 

As if to say "Do you mind"!

 As ever, there's more at The Hobby Good Food Guide