Early Season Willow Fix

With a Willow Emerald Damselfly emerging a few nights ago from my garden pond, I wanted to make sure that I took the damselfly back to Nethergong where I collected the nymph to release it so it could stand the best chance of continuing the cycle of life for this species. I spent a couple of hours walking along the stream where in cloudy conditions, I was not surprised to see any at all, but a quick netting session again at least provided me with a few Willow Emerald and Emerald Damselfly nymphs in the shallows preparing to emerge soon. With the conditions not ideal for flying, I released the male Willow Emerald Damselfly on to a stick on the edge of the reeds where I then spent a while taking a number of photos knowing it was unlikely to fly off. Despite the lack of sunshine, I surprisingly ended up with a few pleasing efforts of this superb damselfly showing some of the characteristics required to identify this species. Hopefully in a few weeks there will be a good number flying and I will be able to spend time in their company studying, learning and photographing this still rare damselfly. Roll on the Willow season.

 

 

Willow Emerald Damselfy (Chalcolestes viridis) Teneral Male