Dragon, Damsel And Comma

Another scorcher. My friend the willow emerald damselfly was on station again in Butterfly Alley. I took loads of pictures of him including the one in extras where he is curving his abdomen up. I haven't been able to find out details of the reproductive habits of this species but I'm wondering if they are like dragonflies. Dragons transfer their sperm from their testes in the tip of their abdomen into a pouch near their back legs in readiness for mating. My damselfly is defending his territory and will repel other males. Maybe he's just waiting for females to pass rather than going out looking for them. His claspers, with which he'll catch a female by the back of its neck, can be seen.

Ollie dog and I went down the field after six and I was so hot that the sweat was running into my eyes. I think the battered comma butterfly on a hogweed seedhead in extras conveys the heat.

My main image is a common darter dragonfly on the bank of the lake. These are easy to photograph as they dart back to the same perch repeatedly.