Some Dragonflies 1

All Four-spotted Chaser, Libellula quadrimaculata

#1

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Lovely pics, are they all recent. I haven't seen one this year yet.

Hi Mark.

Thanks.

Yes they are all taken at Thursley NNR on 29-06-06, but I have seen some a bit closer to me about on the 20th last month. They are I think about 3-4 weeks later this year due to the cool and wet start to the summer.

You are a bit further north but should see them soon I hope.

Lovely shots Lester- assume #2 is the male?
Brian V.

Another lovely series. The last one is great!

Thanks Brian.

I think the male and female are almost the same in this species.

Leorooster and MAH, thanks.

Very nice shots Lester, especially #3!

Dave

I like the last one

Dave and Omri thanks for you kind words.

Great shots Lester - so you took my advice and went to Thursley. Hoping to get there myself this Sunday if the weather is OK. Fingers crossed I see some this time!

Yes thanks for the tip red_fan, it is fairly close to me.

Went up for a walk around with my wife so "time was limited" in any one spot!

Very hot day too. 2-3 other photographers up there despite it being the middle of the week.

Plan to go back and try and catch some of the sand wasps they have there.

Just checked the field guide: 1 & 3 are males and 2 can just about be determined to be female. The claspers at the tip of the abdomen are close together in males and separated in females with that little light coloured spot between them.
Great shots Lester. You must have some great dragonfly sites down there in Hampshire.

Thanks for the info Eccles, my field guides and on-line references gave me no diagnostic for sex determination in this species, would you mind sharing your reference please.

Yes the NNR at Thursly has more dragons per square metre than I have ever seen. There are a few LNRs and diversity areas close to me as well as the canal which can be good for lots of bugs.

"Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland" by Steve Brooks.