Dragonflies mating

Dalantech

Props to LordV for telling me that critters hate the wind as much as I do, and are more likely to stay put when it's blowing otherwise I might not have attempted this series. Lots of wind at the lake but since I was shooting in manual mode, 1/250, F8, and ISO 100 the duration of the flash was acting as my shutter spped (1/1400). So after shooting the happy couple:



I took their portraits at life size. First the male:



And now the female:



C&C always welcome.

Dick on Aruba

Great series, well done.


They even mate while flying, ever seen that? Various times I tryed to capture that but in the air while mating they not very stable to photograph.

Thanks for sharing.

Dick.

Dalantech

Dick on Aruba wrote:

Great series, well done.


They even mate while flying, ever seen that? Various times I tryed to capture that but in the air while mating they not very stable to photograph.

Thanks for sharing.

Dick.

Several times I've seen the male grab the female and she'll swing around and attach herself to him in mid air -it happens so fast I'd have to film it with a video camera...

Awais Yaqub

Woow great captures of a moment

Alaska shutterbug

Great job. After having tried to photograph a dragonfly the other day, I'm very impressed. I'll have to remember the wind thing. So that's the male on top huh? Learn something new every day.:):

Dalantech

Awais Yaqub wrote:

Woow great captures of a moment

Thanks Awais!

Dalantech

Alaska shutterbug wrote:

Great job. After having tried to photograph a dragonfly the other day, I'm very impressed. I'll have to remember the wind thing. So that's the male on top huh? Learn something new every day.:):

He deposits sperm in a gland on his abdomen and she connects her sexual organ to it. Some males have an adaptation that lets them sweep out any sperm deposited by a previous male. After they finish he will either guard her by flying close and scaring off rivals while she lays his fertilized eggs, or she will detach but he will continue to hold on to her head while she deposits eggs in the water (depends on the species).