Brown Hawker Nymph / Large Red Damselfly Nymph
Aeshna grandis - Pyrrhosoma nymphula
As anyone reading my blog will know my passion for dragonflies and damselflies has gained momentum in the past few years but what do you do in the winter months to pass the winter months away? Well you buy yourself a glass tank, do quite a bit of reading on rearing and photographing dragonfly larvae and go down to the local pond or lake and see what you can find. I am lucky to have permission to catch a few nymphs from Nethergong campsite which has a number of small pools which last year had plenty of odonata there. During trips there I have managed to catch a small Emperor Dragonfly nymph about 15mm long, a 25mm Brown Hawker nymph, 1 Broad bodied Chaser nymph and a few Large Red, Azure and Blue tailed Damselfly. This has presented me with many photographic sessions where I have been able to study these nymphs under the water as they go about their lives. By lighting the tank well and following a few rules I have been very pleased with a number of photos I have been able to take through the glass of the various species. I have not seen the Brown Hawker actually catch anything but have seen it eating the remains of a damselfly nymph and have watched it stalking prey, a sight that many of us have never seen and is very fascinating. The season is not far away now but until then, I will continue to photograph the nymphs and hope in a months time or so I will be able to get some photos of the Large Red Damselflies emerging from either the tank, my pond or at various locals ponds. I will post a few more nymph photos soon.
Large Red Damselfly Nymph
Marc Heath
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