For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Dragonflies - Odonata

These fly around so fast it is difficult to get proper photographs. Certain species blend in so with with their environment, that it is even difficult to find them.



28 comments:

cata said...

It´s true, it's really difficult to get porper photos of them, I tried once and I could't. Congratulations.

Craver Vii said...

Dragonflies are such fun creatures! And they're prettier than warthogs, too. You are one prolific photographer, Joan!

imhkki said...

great captures

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Hello Cata. Thanks for visiting and commenting. The dragonflies are so beautiful and I always stop to watch them.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Craver. I love all aspects of nature. Everything fascinates me. I can watch the dragonflies for hours, they are never still. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks for visiting and commenting imhkki. A beautiful subject makes a beautiful picture. :)

Gaelyn said...

They really do blend in well. That 3rd shot looks like an airplane for sure.

Kerstin said...

Great Photos!!!

Tony nile life said...

your dragons are almost as good as mine. http://egyptdragonflies.blogspot.com/

got to plug in somewhere Joan.
Lovely photos, Have only seen one dragon in the last month Similar to your golden one, but now the weather is warming up they should start to emerge again. 37 species last season its almost as good a hobby as birding and bugging.

Becky said...

We had very few Dragonflies last summer. I didn't get very many good pictures. These are wonderful Joan.
B.

Diane AZ said...

Your photos are marvelous. I like their comical little faces.

Anonymous said...

Its interesting that your dragonflies lack color compared to ours. It makes me wonder if your species has an efficient and effective predator that seeks them out compared to ours which are very conspicuous.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Joan: I love to photograph the dragon flies, they show such beauty. I like the one in the last shot best.

Rambling Woods said...

You know I love dragons..and these are very different from ours...

Mary said...

Such nice dragonflies! Makes me long for spring and summer that much more.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

They are some of the most fascinating critters to watch Gaelyn. I would love to be able to capture them emerging from a pupae.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Hello Kerstin. Thanks for visiting and commenting. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Hello Tony. As you are heading for warmer weather so we are heading for winter and then all these lovely creatures will disappear. But it never gets so cold here that there is nothing around.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Becky. I wonder if it was due to all the rain you had. The previous summer we had the same problem here.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Diane. I always think their faces are at odds with their beautiful bodies. :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

We do have a lot of very colorful ones Bernie and they seem to stick out like a sore thumb, but most seem to blend in with their backgrounds like this and I am betting it is a survival tactic.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Tom. They are all so pretty to me.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

How are they different Michelle? Just in color? We dont have that very pretty green one you have but most of the others are kind of dull except for the red.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Ah!! It will soon be there Mary!! Not too long to go now. A lot of people are telling me they have had new snow falls.

Rambling Woods said...

The damsels we have here have to be able to survive suburbia and this polluted pond and I haven't discovered all that I can yet. This past season being an awful one for insects. But the dragons are larger green and red and the damsels are primarily blue and green. Yours doesn't look like any in my guide book. But I really find it neat that we can share common insect families so very far away from each other... Michelle

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks for the info Michelle. We have a blue damsel here too but most of them are also dull in color. I do agree that it is wonderful to share info like this on the differences between our species.

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

Dragonflies truely are hard to photograph. But its really rewarding when you do get a nice shot of one.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

I must agree Jonker but it takes a lot of time and patience. :)