Hatching dragonfly sequence (lots of pictures)

[bugmeister]

I was lucky enough to spot the larva of a four spotted chaser dragonfly on the leaf of a flag iris. It had recently climbed from the water and was about to hatch. I waited around and was lucky enough to get a full sequence over the next three and a half hours.

 

Apologies for the changes in light, I was juggling lenses and viewpoints as well as talking to people who were coming past and were fascinated by what was going on, most never having seen anything like it and the adults were as interested as the kids.

 

This was at the raised pond outside the dragonfly centre at Wicken Fen on Saturday 31st May 2014

 

so here we go......   loads of pictures that I hope you find as fascinating as the visitors found the actual event.

 

0902: first sight of the larva

0905: wider view

0933: The larval case is splitting and the first bit is emerging

0938: The dragonfly is lifting it's head and thorax

0939: front view

0939: side view

0942: the dragonfly has to effectively lean right back until almost all of it's body is free of the exuvia

0950: nearly free

1010: this is a struggle so he's taking a break

1021: a quick flip to get back up the right way.. (blink and you miss this bit)

1021: and pull the tail right out of the exuvia

1034: Now comes the long process of expanding the wings by pumping the veins full of fluid

1039: They lengthen comparatively quickly

1056: by now the wings are approaching full size

1115: the wings are full size and starting to lift towards flight position but they are still closed along the back. The pterostigma are starting to get colour (the patches at the front edge of the wingtips)

1208: The body colours are really bright now and the wings are almost ready to open. The spots on the front of the wings that give this dragonfly it's name are becoming clearly visible

1218: the wings flip open so quickly that you'll miss it if you aren't watching at the second it happens

1232: the final picture just before the dragonfly lifted off for it's first flight into a nearby tree where it would perch in relative safety until it's wings were fully hardened and it could go looking for food. (not a good picture, but included for completeness)

 

All taken with Canon EOS 5D mkII, Canon 70-200f4/Sigma 105 f2.8/Canon MPE65 and some with Canon MR14 flash

 

 

[Korky]

If I'm honest, I can take or leave most bugs and bees and things that bite and sting and give me germs that give me the runs, but..........

 

This is just a stunning set of images - after showing them to Mrs K, I went round to the my neighbours and the man who runs the chippy and the bloke round the corner who was once attacked by a swarm of locusts and I insisted they all look at these bloody fantastic images.

 

Bugs, your skills are astounding and I salute you!

 

Korky

[Barbara]

5*    

[annie]

Bugs they are truly wonderful captures, Magic....

[FUJI]

Bugs, you have combined photographic skills, with patient observation here to produce a beautiful sequence of Nature in action......a sequence of shots that could be used in any educational publication.

FUJI

[pauln]

Excellent set, if you have more maybe you could do a short time lapse?

[ChrisLumix]

Exactly what Korky said. Amazing.

[JohnP]

Bugs... you have devoted a great deal of time, patience and skill to obtain shots like this and I take my hat off to you. I love to take macro shots of insects but I have never ever come away with results like these images and I probably never will... I know my limitations. There are members on here who have not the slightest idea of what it takes to come away with images even half as good as these, anyone can stick a camera on landscape mode and get a half decent shot, the same can be said for architecture, sunsets, sport etc etc... the list is endless. These images are IMO (when one considers the time and effort involved) probably the best I've seen on TIPF and I've been a member since the original forum was started. I am in awe Bugs... :respect:

[ChrisLumix]

Bugs... you have devoted a great deal of time, patience and skill to obtain shots like this and I take my hat off to you. I love to take macro shots of insects but I have never ever come away with results like these images and I probably never will... I know my limitations. There are members on here who have not the slightest idea of what it takes to come away with images even half as good as these, anyone can stick a camera on landscape mode and get a half decent shot, the same can be said for architecture, sunsets, sport etc etc... the list is endless. These images are IMO (when one considers the time and effort involved) probably the best I've seen on TIPF and I've been a member since the original forum was started. I am in awe Bugs... :respect:

 

That's slightly unfair John. These particular shots of Bugs' are as awesome as any I've seen on here, but taking an equally awesome landscape shot requires no less technical skill, care in composition, and the right equipment. The only difference is that it is easier to take an 'average' landscape shot than it is to take an 'average' macro shot. In fact, from my (very limited) experience, I'd say that macro shots are either good or bad, there's no halfway house.

[JohnP]

Chris... I disagree... I take both landscape and macro insects shots ( both badly I admit) and taking landscapes doesn't compare. I can take three or four landscape shots and I'm usually happy with at least one of them, macro is a different thing entirely, I've been known to take 50-100 shots sometimes and not have one keeper for one reason or another. Besides finding a macro subject in the first place is difficult enough, unlike a landscape insects tend to hide themselves and in most cases they are moving which due to the shallow DOF makes focus next to impossible at times. Taking macro insect shots is a far greater challenge than taking a landscape or a building for instance, that's what I love about. I've taken to posting most of my macros elsewhere now as they create less interest here.

[Leon]

just another bug shot......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..... only joking, they are truly stunning!!!

[ChrisLumix]

Chris... I disagree... I take both landscape and macro insects shots ( both badly I admit) and taking landscapes doesn't compare. I can take three or four landscape shots and I'm usually happy with at least one of them, macro is a different thing entirely, I've been known to take 50-100 shots sometimes and not have one keeper for one reason or another. Besides finding a macro subject in the first place is difficult enough, unlike a landscape insects tend to hide themselves and in most cases they are moving which due to the shallow DOF makes focus next to impossible at times. Taking macro insect shots is a far greater challenge than taking a landscape or a building for instance, that's what I love about. I've taken to posting most of my macros elsewhere now as they create less interest here.

 

You've basically agreed with my point, John. I wasn't talking about how many shots you have to take to get a good 'un, I was talking about how difficult it is to get a landscape shot of the same quality of some of the macro shots here. This forum seems to specialise in macro work - and it shows in the stunning range of macro shots - but how many landscapes of the same quality have you seen here? Not so very many, I'd venture. Yet I'll bet there are forums devoted to landscape work, where the images are just incredibly awesome.

 

In fact, I'd go further and say that it's HARDER to get a great landscape. Why? Because it's too easy to get an average one, as you've pointed out. Whereas to succeed with an acceptable macro shot, you stand a good chance that people will stop and say "wow" because close-ups - by definition - are of something you don't see every day. The very subject matter lends itself to that 'wow factor'. 

[FUJI]

Hi, Chris, I take you to task about this forum specialising in Macro photography, we few enthusiasts just pop out of the undergrowth only during the warmer months when insects, bugs and spiders abound.

The interest in macro, on here was partly my fault .......a few years back when I got my, kit, then encouraged Annie to acquire her RAYNOX 250 auxiliary macro lens, others followed suit or joined later. I am a member of the specialist Macro site, and of a technical Mono forum, thanks to all the learning done here on TIPF.

I do my best to be as generic as possible in my choice of subjects, I approach photography in completely non- technical manner , I lack those skills, I just use my innate artistic ability to see, then shoot what I like the look of.

I have also mentioned previously that I get mildly frustrated at the total lack of Landscape in my immediate area, so tend to shy away from it, Kenilworth Castle, just yards away from my home is so cliche'd, it is for tourists only, unless special lighting or weather alter its look drastically. I would love to walk in the Malverns or on the Coast, but it cant be.

Since I retired, photography has become a very real passion, Digital, has made it easier for a creative person like me, to shoot instinctively.....not in AUTO modes though, I tend to hop from genre to genre, macro one minute, street photography the next.....and so on.

WHOOPS! .....I apologise for highjacking this wonderful thread......

This sequence deserves official recognition.....go publish.

FUJI

[KateW]

This is a fantastic set!

[bugmeister]

Thank you all, I'm just about to print the series for the dragonfly centre (across two A3 pages) so even more people can see them where they were taken.

[NannyFerret]

These are breathtaking.

Thanks for sharing those special moment in time. :)

[Brian]

I salute you for your patience. Absolutely stunning set. What more can you say?

[CanonChrissy]

I have never seen shots as awesome as these. I cannot fault any of them. I too am in awe. Bloody fantastic.