Orthetrum testaceum In Wheel And Ovipositing

I am at a lost.....  well, actually, I am lost for choice!

And that is because even as I start writing this, I have not decided as yet on which odonate species to write about.  There are so many different species I could write about and so many thoughts and observations that I would like to put down in writing.

I guess I will start with the last things I captured yesterday so that brings us to the Orthetrum testaceum of the family Libellulidae, which is one of the species of red dragonflies that are common and widespread in this region and usually found in abundance in most places.

I was lucky to chance upon a pair of Orthetrum testaceum in wheel, sat around to observe their behaviour and got a few shots in the process.

Here's the first shot I got of this pair...

 

 

From this angle, it would have been easy to miss the second set of wings belonging to the female that's just dangling there as it had looked like just the male dragonfly perched as usual on a twig.  The pair flew off after that when I tried to get closer for a second photo but I managed to get more photos of them later at another perch.

 

 

Based on observation, I have noted a pair of Orthetrum testaceum being in copula or wheel position for about ten minutes.  So I waited.  This next photo shows the male letting go of his hold on the female...

 

 

He then flies off while the female remain perched on the twig to compose herself.  After that, she takes off to oviposit her eggs by plunging the tip of her abdomen in the water, rapidly making several dips and splashes in the water at various different spots.  The male hovered close to her all the time to guard her and prevent other males from capturing her while she completes laying all her fertilised eggs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have always said that it would not be easy to photograph these dragonflies in wheel as they usually take off at speed while in tandem.  Perhaps the hot weather increased my chances of observing them on this day.  I would never know.  And perhaps it would have been impossible for some other species.  But probably just being at the right place at the right time would make a huge difference to everything too!

That was quite a great day!