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See you ........


See you ........
Photo Information
Copyright: Paul van Slooten (pvs) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-09-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Sony Alfa dSLR A100, Minolta AF 200 mm / f:4 macro APO G, Digital RAW 100, Kenko Pro 300 1.4x Teleconvert
Exposure: f/18.0, 1/125 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-10-25 1:15
Viewed: 3814
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
As I have to go to sea again,this is my last posting for a while,I have to embark on an older vessel which is unfortunately not equiped with internet,I hope to be back home and join TN again in about 6 to 7 weeks,

By the way this is a close up of a Southern Hawker,hope you like it and see you.....

Southern hawker
Aeshna cyanea

Dragonflies can be seen on warm still days flying around at high speed catching insects in mid air.

Physical Description
Dragonflies have long thin bodies, four large wings that are held out to the sides and two large compound eyes. Antennae are very short. Southern hawkers have black bodies spotted with green, males also have some blue spots near end of their abdomen.

Distribution
Widespread throughout Europe.

Habitat
During the breeding season these dragonflies are found near ponds and rivers. At other times they are found in woodland clearings, near houses and in gardens.

The larvae live in still or slow-moving water.

Diet
Larvae eat aquatic insects, tadpoles and small fish. Adults eat airborne insects.

Behaviour
Adults can be seen on warm, still days flying around at high speed catching insects in mid-air. Insects are caught with their strong legs and are often eaten on the wing. They detect their prey using their large eyes which allow them to see in most directions at once.

Larvae are aquatic and catch their prey by ambush. They can only see a short distance but they are very sensitive to movement. On the underside of their heads they have a hinged jaw called a mask that can be flicked out to catch a passing insect or fish. The larvae have gills and so do not need to surface for air.

Larvae spend about 1-3 years underwater, emerging at night in periods of warm still weather between July and August. The larva finds the stem of a nearby plant and attaches itself with its hooked feet. The following day, the back of the larva's thorax splits and the dragonfly begins to push itself out of the old skin. The dragonfly will then hang backwards out of its old skin with the tip of its abdomen still inside to allow its legs to harden up before it can use them. When the legs have hardened the dragonfly flips itself upright and pulls its abdomen out of the old skin. It will sit in this position for an hour or two while the abdomen fully extends and the wings become hardened.

During this time the insect will allow liquids to drip from the end of the abdomen - this dries the insect so that it is lighter and ready for flight. When the wings have hardened, the dragonfly will begin to flap them. This helps to warm the muscles for flight. When it is ready the insect will climb to a higher point on the reed, flap its wings and take off. It will then fly to a nearby tree to continue the hardening of its new skin. After a couple of days the dragonfly will have developed its mature colouring as most species are green to begin with.

Reproduction
Southern hawkers breed in late summer. When a male has found a mate he will hook a pair of claspers at the tip of his abdomen onto the back of her head during flight. The female curves her abdomen around under the male so that pair form rough wheel. They remain in this position from two minutes to one hour, typically 20 minutes.

The male spends part of this time clearing out any previous suitor's sperm left in the female's reproductive tract using an extensible to scrape out sperm. To ensure his own sperm is not removed, the shrewd male guards his mate while she lays eggs. The male may remain attached to female or fly protectively above her.

The female dragonflies saw holes into plant tissue or rotting logs, usually under or near water, and insert eggs into the hole. Occasionally these dragonflies will choose inappropriate sites to lay their eggs. Some have been observed to lay eggs in shoes or clothing. The eggs will hatch out in the following spring.

Conservation status
They are not listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Notes
Aeshna means 'ugly or misshapen'. Cyanea means 'dark blue'. There are many similar species of the Genus Aeshna, found in the British Isles.
martic, horia, marhowie, mayuresh, viv, MMM, Tamrock, kjpweb, meyerd, Miss_Piggy has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1079 W: 293 N: 4497] (16383)
  • [2007-10-25 1:23]

Good morning Paul,
a fantastic and impressive view and picture of the dragonfly's face. Great depth of field for this 'close' presentation. With respect to the conditions, light managment is also professional. A superb picture to study and to look at!
Best wishes, Peter

Wow, fantastic macro shot! A lot of details are well visible, very very congratulation. Bye Tom

Hello Paul,
Very nice close up with great details and colors, good POV and DOF, very well done
cheers
Jean-Michel

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2007-10-25 3:55]

Hi Paul

Just a quick "hi" and Good luck on your new trip! Sorry to hear you won't have internet there (i know you are, too) but at least you'll have a huge portofoio of new photos to show us when you come back :)
This is a splendid close-up of this southern hawker!
The details and DOF are simply impressive and the textures you managed to get are amazing!
Wonderful work!

Take care my friend!
Horia

Hi Paul,
I really appreciate what it takes to get this kind of dramatic macro closeup, hat's off to ya :)
A very sharp and colorful portrait, excellent close details/DOF. Great notes on this Hawker,
Very well done.
Howard

Hi Paul

Have fun on your next voyage, hopefully some seabird pics when you return.
Excellent macro, amazing DOF achieved with impessive sharpness and detail.

Chris

Hello paul,
superb macro shot with great details,nice composition and pov.
well done.
TFS

  • Great 
  • viv Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 292 W: 3 N: 653] (3317)
  • [2007-10-25 7:26]

Hello Paul,
Whow what a super macro shot it is very impressive great on details and it looks a little bit a creature of another planet.
Thanks a lot and have a safe trip.

Vivian

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2007-10-25 8:19]

Hi Paul,
Just marking it and will come back in a while with a proper critique.
Regards.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2007-10-25 8:38]

Hi Paul
What a lovely closed up image.Excellent sharpness and very good details.The light is outstanding.
TFS Michel

bonjour paul
j'aimerais bien en faire autant mais ici ce genre de libellule est assez rare,surtout posé.
enfin bravo pour le detail et merci du partage.
laurent

Hi paul
Excellent portrait of this dragonfly - very sharp, well exposed, with nice colours.
Congratulation
Ania

hi paul!
thats a great close-up!
really sharp with good
details and a fine exposure!
nice camerawork!

Hi Paul,

I'm speechless! Absolutely one of the best super macro shots I've ever seen!
Extraordinary, TFS

Gio

  • Great 
  • lise Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 169 W: 48 N: 548] (2877)
  • [2007-10-25 15:46]

Hi Paul,
This is an incredible macro shot! The details and sharpness are amazing, nice colours.
Very well done
Lise

Pretty cool - you could have gotten a little closer, though..;) Just kidding! It's amazing, what detail you reveal here, showing a great DOF. Bravo! Cheers, Klaus

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 855 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2007-10-26 10:30]

Hoi Paul , wat een koppie , beautiful ,je hebt lenzen en prachtige details , hoe kan het groeien ik vind het schitterende beesten , ,Fijn Weekend Teunie ,

Wow, Paul,

Incredible macro work. The detail is sublime. Well done.

Jan-Hendrik

  • Great 
  • meyerd Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 585 W: 64 N: 2238] (7531)
  • [2007-11-03 12:44]

Hi Paul,
the Master of the Dragonfly eye did it again! We other earthlings can only marvel about your technique. It's wonderful! The eye has a number of foci and one big one, you clearly demonstrated it here. No wonder are Dragonflies able to catch flying insects in the air.
Thanks!
My best regards
Dietrich

Hallo Paul
Thanks for welcoming me to Trek Nature. I appreciate your visit and the positive critique you left me. I am sure I’ll enjoy every moment and that my knowledge about nature and everything involved will grow daily. I appreciate you pointing out the accurate ID of the Kingfisher and corrected it in my notes.
Although this is not your latest posting, I wanted to critique this specific one with the title “See You” On browsing through your portfolio, my eye caught this one, and I could in my mind’s eye see myself. I think my eyes will look like this fellow’s at the end of the week. There is just so many wonderful photos on the site and because I am new, I try to see as much as possible. This is really a fantastic close-up shot of the dragonflies eyes. Sjoe! I run around like a crazy thing just trying to get a shot of a whole dragonfly, and you present the eyes only. Real good stuff. Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards
Anna

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