Large Red damselfly using my new wildlife garden pond to oviposit
Wildlife gardening brings such pleasure and beauty into a wildlife garden, if you let it! This beautiful Large red damselfly? (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) took some time to lay her eggs inside the water mint in my new wildlife pond, (no fish allowed!)
You can see that she uses her sharp curved and scythe-like ovipositor to cut into and pierce the water mint stem and lay her eggs inside it. She did this along several other parts of water mint in the pond, continually dipping her ovipositor into the water.
Unlike other damselflies I have seen using the pond to oviposit, the male did not accompany her whereby he grips her right behind her head and they both fly together attached, she lays her eggs and uses him to move around and pull her up in some cases.
You may find the British Dragonfly Society a useful resource
Fascinating. I love damselflies and dragonflies and feel lucky when they visit my allotment.
Thanks Elaine. I love them too so beautiful yet deadly predators! Cheers, George
Great filming as always George. Get sightings of the blue damselfies, I will have to keep an eye open for the red one. They are beautiful a wonderful sight.
Marian
Thanks Marian watch this space! Cheers for now, George