Tuesday 22 November 2016

The Season Moves Under the Water

With the flying season all but over this year unless we have a mild sunny spell soon, many dragonfly enthusiasts will pack away the cameras for the winter and go into hibernation until next April when the season starts again. I decided a few years ago that I couldn't do this and as most of the dragonfly and damselflies life is in the nymph stage, I decided to spend some time over the winter visiting ponds and lakes in the local area where the plan was to catch some nymphs of various species and learn how to identify them. Armed with the basics of a net and white tray, I was soon catching quite a few species and soon started to learn the features of some of the species, although some of the damselfly nymphs still remain very tricky to tell apart. I soon got the dipping bug and decided to take this further and purchased 'A Field Guide to the Larvae and Exuviae of British Dragonflies' by Steve Cham. This has to be one of the best books on the market and is full of excellent photos and id tips on how to tell apart the different species of larvae and exuviae. This book can still be bought from the British Dragonfly Society shop for £10. I thoroughly recommend this to anyone trying to improve their skills in this area and it has proved most valuable in improving my depth of knowledge.

A Field Guide to the Larvae and Exuviae of British Dragonflies

With the long nights of winter setting in, I decided to take this a stage further and after viewing a few sites on the internet, I purchased a couple of small glass tanks where the aim was to study and photograph the nymphs through the glass acting in a natural manner. I also at this point made a small pond in my garden whereby I could keep some nymphs prior to photography and watch them hopefully emerge in the spring time. With a bit of experimenting with camera settings and the set up, I started to get a number of pleasing images and looking back through the photos, highlighted areas where I could improve the shots.

Emperor Dragonfly Nymph

I suppose the best bit about this is that I could do all the photography at home in the warmth of the conservatory with a cup of tea whilst still improving my knowledge of the nymphs. Sometimes in a shallow tray or pot, it is hard to see all the features on the nymph but I slowly started to see many features when they were studied under the water and acted more naturally. I have learnt so much throughout the winter months about the nymphs and my advise would be that the season is never over. Purchase a net and tray and visit your local water and learn about the different species that are there. You may have seen the adults but have you seen the nymphs and learnt about them? There is a lot to learn about this secret side of the dragonflies and damselflies that we often don't see or take for granted so make some time to venture out during the winter months. Hopefully, I will be out and about too looking for species to photograph, some new but many photos of species to improve upon from last years attempts. I will try and post in due coarse throughout the winter the set up in detail that I use, settings, background, lenses and any tips I can pass on to anyone else that wishes to pursue and try this excellent project. So remember, the season is far from over. Its just under the water waiting to be discovered.

Brown Hawker Nymph

12 comments:

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    1. Many thanks Bob. A nice challenge to pass those winter months by.

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  2. Thanks for the nod Marc,will see what Santa brings.
    John.

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    1. It can be very addictive but very rewarding as well. You never know whats going to appear in the net.

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  3. Thank you for the inspiration, Marc. Just ordered that book on your recommendation. All I have to do now is pluck up the courage to get cold and wet - not easy at my age!

    Best wishes - - - Richard

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    1. It's a superb book, you won't regret it. A lot to learn from it, you just got to get out now for a session or two to find some nymphs.

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  4. Brilliant to see the stages so few of us normally see!!

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    1. Many thanks Bob. Thats what fascinates me too, trying to bring photos we may not normally see.

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  5. Great post Marc, inspiring! Looking forward to seeing your photography methods and tips.

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    1. Many thanks Stewart for your visit and comment.

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  6. More than the fantastic shots you share with us, I admire how thorough you are with the subject of odonata!
    I chose to move on to fauna, mainly birds... too time consuming to do both!
    So I am hammy to discover you progress with the larvae, discerning the differences between some of them is a very prickly matter!!
    Sincere congratulations, Marc, and enjoy your week :)

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    1. Many thanks Noushka. I hope you continue to take photos of odonata. Always aspiring to take shots like you often do.

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