Damselfly romance on the grass stalk

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:40 am

After dragonfly & fly horror something much more beautiful.

I hope you'll like this one.
Can you see three spherical paticles under blue one's chest?

[size=0]

[/size]

Model Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL
Date/time original 12.05.2007 12:26:51
Shutter speed value 1/125 s
Aperture value f/10
ISO speed ratings ISO 200
Focal length 100 mm

Erland R.N. · Post by **Erland R.N.** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:34 am

Nice clear capture, but I hate to see it rotated like this. They were probably sitting horisontal, but vertical with the blue male at the top, is just as common. But not head down :-)

It's Coenagrion puella (Azure Bluet or Azure Damselfly), and what you see on the male is mites. They will drain some energy from the insect, but in no way kill it. My memory tells me that the mites drop off and down in the water when the insect return. The mites attacked the damselfly during the larvae stage.

cheers
Erland

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:37 pm

Thank you Erland for ID and telling me about mess I made (upside down).

I'm sure they stayed vertical because I remember and because my camera rotate picture iif I rotate camera.

It should be corrected now.
Admins, can you delete my old upside down photographs, please?
(120_IMG_0331_MatDragF_Merge_T_1.jpg, 120_IMG_0331_MatDragF_Merge_M_1.jpg and 120_IMG_0331_MatDragF_Merge_B_1.jpg - carefully please - not ones with "O_" before "T", "M" and "B")

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Tue May 15, 2007 4:53 pm

A beautiful picture no matter how you look at it. very nice detail on everything and a great clean background. I certainly would not want any mites in that area on me (making me itch already)

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Sun May 20, 2007 1:23 pm

beetleman wrote:... I certainly would not want any mites in that area on me (making me itch already)

Neither I.

Especially if there is any chance they could be in same proportions with human body.

Female looks stronger, tail in particular. Is it regular case or accidentaly? Erland?

Erland R.N. · Post by **Erland R.N.** » Sun May 20, 2007 2:32 pm

The females tail, also called the abdomen, is surely wider or thicker for many species of dragonflies and damselflies. Maybe it's simply to make room for the egg transport along the abdomen to the ovipositor or vulvar scale, where the eggs come out.