Tales from the 'Willow'

I mentioned in yesterdays post that I managed to find a few Common Blue Damselfly hanging on still. A few were still in good condition and I wonder if it remains mild whether they can hang on till November, I doubt it but you never know. Sometimes this species can be quite hard to photograph and getting near to them can be a challenge as they are so wary but this individual let me creep up yesterday and take a few nice shots.

Male Common Blue Damselfly

I also had a plan to see if I could find any places where the female Willow Emerald Damselflies had been egg laying. Unlike other damselfly species that lay their eggs in water, this species lays their eggs in the branches of trees that overhang water. The eggs stay in the branches until next spring when they hatch and the prolarva then fall into the water where they rapidly grow and in a space of a few months, emerge as adults. Even more amazing is that when the prolarva fall from the branches, if they fail to land in the water, they are pre programmed to jump and hopefully in that way get to the water. After a bit of searching I managed to find a number of ovipositing galls or scars that the female makes when egg laying. They are quite noticeable when you get your eye in and I saw quite a few in the trees I checked.

Willow Emerald Damselfly Ovipositing Galls

 I would like to catch a female in the act of egg laying but this may have top wait until next year now, but you never know. As I keep finding out, there is so much to learn about these fascinating insects and what a story the Willow Emerald Damselfly has, a real privilege to have these nationally rare damselflies breeding in Kent and spreading fast it seems.  

Willow Emerald Damselfly Ovipositing Galls