Dragonflies and Damselflies

[Maximilian]

Some freshly hatched damselflies, that I couldn't ID.
The first one could be a female azure damselfly.
The other two male counterparts.

 

[Maximilian]

Common bluetail

 

[koenkooi]

Common bluetail

View attachment 218123

The colloquial name for that here is "little lantern", which is a lot easier to remember for me than our names for the various demoiselles: meadow stream damsel and forest stream damsel.

 

[Maximilian]

The colloquial name for that here is "little lantern", ...

Thanks for letting me know.
The German name is "Große Pechlibelle". (ischnura elegans). There is also a "Kleine Pechlibelle". (ischnura pumilio)

 

[koenkooi]

Thanks for letting me know.
The German name is "Große Pechlibelle". (ischnura elegans). There is also a "Kleine Pechlibelle". (ischnura pumilio)

Is 'pech' a proper cognate? It means bad luck/unlucky in Dutch. I wonder what made people choose that name for this damselfly.

 

[Maximilian]

Is 'pech' a proper cognate? It means bad luck/unlucky in Dutch. I wonder what made people choose that name for this damselfly.

There are two meanings in German for the term Pech/pech.

Technically, "Pech" is "Pitch", bitumen or coal tar.
And from its "pitch black" colour and the mostly black body of the bluetail comes the naming of that damselfly.

And then you have the synonym "Pech haben" or "das Pech klebt an Dir" for bad luck as you know it.
That synonym came from the situation, that "Pech/pitch" is also a stubborn glue. So, if you worked with pitch, you were unlucky/had bad luck if it stuck/glued to you

You surely know "tarred and feathered". And that leads me to the German fairy tale "Frau Holle" (= "Old Mother Frost") where in the end "the lazy girl stood at the gate, a kettle of pitch spilled over her. "That is what you have earned" said Frau Holle and closed the gate."

 

[koenkooi]

There are two meanings in German for the term Pech/pech.

Technically, "Pech" is "Pitch", bitumen or coal tar.
And from its "pitch black" colour and the mostly black body of the bluetail comes the naming of that damselfly.

And then you have the synonym "Pech haben" or "das Pech klebt an Dir" for bad luck as you know it.
That synonym came from the situation, that "Pech/pitch" is also a stubborn glue. So when you were working with pitch you were really unlucky when it was when glueing/stuck to you.

You surely know "tarred and feathered". And that leads me to the German fairy tale "Frau Holle" (= "Old Mother Frost") where in the end "the lazy girl stood at the gate, a kettle of pitch spilled over her. "That is what you have earned" said Frau Holle and closed the gate."

For pitch we use ‘pek’ in the Netherlands, depending on the accent, the ek and ech can sound very close. And we use ‘pek en veren’, yes.

 

[koenkooi]

Again lots of mating wheels on yesterdays outing, I liked this one best. Another male tries to take over a wheel:

https://flic.kr/p/2q44uva

They escaped and recovered a few seconds later:

https://flic.kr/p/2q3XCu2

I did see 4 dragonflies, but only one obliged by landing in reach:

https://flic.kr/p/2q45nwA

And other mating wheel, I stopped trying to photograph them after the 5th one

https://flic.kr/p/2q455kF

R7+RF100-500L

 

[Noreaster]

 

[Click]

I especially like the second one. Nicely done, Noreaster.

 

[AlanF]

View attachment 218153View attachment 218154View attachment 218155

Please tell us their names.

 

[Noreaster]

Please tell us their names.

Fred Jack and Terri.
Blue Dashers Pachydiplax longipennis I am by no means and expert but I am quite sure they are dashers
I live near a large marsh and they are everywhere.

 

[MSH411]

From today's walkabout.

 

[MSH411]

Still working on improving my skill sets with the 100mm Macro. All manual, single shot. Once I nail this down I am going to try some stacking.

 

[Click]

Very nice shots, MSH411. I really like the last one.

 

[WarrenJ]

Got lucky and had this little guy land somewhat near me. No macro lens , just the 24-240mm

 

[Maximilian]

... No macro lens , just the 24-240mm

IMO the 24-240 worked well for you.
I like that backlit situation.
Great start for you in this thread. Welcome, Warren.

By the way:
Some use macros, some use teles neat to MFD. Both work well for dragons.
I started with macros and now prefer the RF100-500 or 100-400 for more versatility, as I also like getting dragons in flight.

 

[AlanF]

In Star Park, Shanghai, at about 100F/39C, feeling like 44C. A Pied Skimmer.

 

[Maximilian]

In Star Park, Shanghai, ... A Pied Skimmer.

I love to see those dragons from other continents.

at about 100F/39C, feeling like 44C. A Pied Skimmer.

Hope you'll have a good trip and not too cool AC inside.

 

[AlanF]

I love to see those dragons from other continents.

Hope you'll have a good trip and not too cool AC inside.

Thanks! Now in Inner Mongolia, which is cooler and less humid.