Backyard Water Feature: Dancing Dragonflies

As I mentioned in my last blog their was plenty of action in Jane’s backyard, especially at the pond where these Blue Dashers delighted us.

A male would land on a Sweet Flag pod and tilt his abdomen up. This posture is likely to be threat to any other intruding male, of which there was at least one…..

….along with a female. As she zipped all around the pond the male chased the other male away so that he could concentrate his attention on the female.

The aerial display was extraordinary as their speed and manouverability was on display. Amazingly the delicate act of clasping each other while in flight, flying in tandem in what is known as the “wheel” position to mate, before they alighted on a leaf.

Following the brief encounter, she hovered over the lily pads and dipped the tip of her abdomen to deposit her eggs – this is known as oviposition. Really cool to see all this action so close.