Subject: [Tweeters] Females Dragonflies
Date: Aug 9 17:13:21 2005
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

Yesterday in late afternoon I visit the Homestead pond in University in Tacoma.To my surprise there where few Dragonflies around.But I observed a rare occasion to seeing a female Green Darner.Females only coming to the water to breed or laying there Egg.Seldom females are observed,the minute Dave there coming to the water there being grabbed by a male and usual carried away some time in to the tree to be breed.We had 7 males Common Whitetail on this pond,but only one female around.This female was mostly hidden away from the pond.If she came to the pond al seven males trying to chase,so she could barley laying all her stored eggs. before she was grabbed by a male for more breeding.
I had a rare occasion to watch the female Green Darner deposit for almost one hour all her eggs in to the edge of he pond.This is the first time I observed this rare moment .Was it to the late hour or there was no male Darners around,so she could release all her stored Eggs.The female lays her eggs in the hundreds.Damselflies Darners and Petaltails insert them into plant tissues usual on the edge of the pond.I was able to taken close photos of this special event. I also took photos of a female Common Whitetail being perched and close to the pond ,not being chased by males who was not in sight.


My dragonflies can be viewed at the following link: http://www.pbase.com/godwit/recent_dragonfly_photos/


Cheers
Ruth Sullivan