Dragonfly behavior

Hi all - On several occasions I have seen a dragonfly fly close to the
water, tilt its tail part 90 degrees and quickly dip it into the pond a
number of times. Even saw this once just using a little water on a lily
pad. I'm guessing its either 1)Drinking from the wrong end 2)Decided my
pond is his potty 3)Is giving me the finger, but cant fly up side down or
4)Laying eggs or whatever they have? Got any ideas?

btw- It has sure been an unexpected treat to get to see a growing number of
varieties of colors and shapes of dragonflies. Till now I had barely
noticed those oversized flies and at other locations. I think they were
mostly blue/black or reddish tinged. I saw one recently that appeared to
have landed and and then rotated his wings perpedicular to the ground. This
may be common, but not for me.

Bill Brister - Austin, Texas

Hey Bill,
your answer is behind door
number four
4)Laying eggs

The eggs will hatch, spend the winter in the pond as larva eating up tiny
critters, fish fry and tadpoles if you have any. They catch them by ejecting
their jaw out from under their bodies and snagging their lunch.
In the spring, or late winter for you I expect, they will crawl up out of the
pond on a plant stem, split the back of their skin and the dragonfly will
emerge, spread its wings, let them dry and then fly off leaving the
extoskeleton behind.
They are the kewlest bugs. The US military studied them to figure out how they
work.
They fly in antiphase which is very impressive but I forget exactly what it
means. They form a basket with their front legs and scoop up winged insects on
the fly, eat them and carry on all with out stopping. The original fastfood.


kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

"Newbie Bill" wrote:

Hi all - On several occasions I have seen a dragonfly fly close to the
water, tilt its tail part 90 degrees and quickly dip it into the pond a
number of times. Even saw this once just using a little water on a lily
pad. I'm guessing its either 1)Drinking from the wrong end 2)Decided my
pond is his potty 3)Is giving me the finger, but cant fly up side down or
4)Laying eggs or whatever they have? Got any ideas?

Laying eggs, Alex, for $500.


San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.



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They fly in antiphase which is very impressive but I
forget exactly what it means.

Most of the stronger insect fliers have evolved means to link their
forewings and hindwings in flight so that each side functions as one
flight surface. Dragonflies and damselflies, in contrast, move the two
pairs independently, timing the stroke of the hindpair so that they
meet the oncoming air before it has been disturbed by the front pair.
Physicists would describe them as operating in antiphase.

Source: http://www.geocities.com/cyberfly271...agonflies.html

Jim
Zone 8a - Dallas, Texas
Pond, Veggie Filter, Pond Maintenance & Pond Tour Pics:
http://community.webshots.com/user/dallas75248

"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
. ..
Hi all - On several occasions I have seen a dragonfly fly close to the
water, tilt its tail part 90 degrees and quickly dip it into the pond a
number of times. Even saw this once just using a little water on a lily
pad. I'm guessing its either 1)Drinking from the wrong end 2)Decided my
pond is his potty 3)Is giving me the finger, but cant fly up side down or
4)Laying eggs or whatever they have? Got any ideas?

btw- It has sure been an unexpected treat to get to see a growing number
of
varieties of colors and shapes of dragonflies. Till now I had barely
noticed those oversized flies and at other locations. I think they were
mostly blue/black or reddish tinged. I saw one recently that appeared to
have landed and and then rotated his wings perpedicular to the ground.
This
may be common, but not for me.

Bill Brister - Austin, Texas




Bill, you are psychic. I was having my coffee out by the pond this morning
and thought about posting this very question. After reading Kathy's
response, it's clear that it is dragonfly egg dropping time in Austin.

Dragonflies are becoming my favorite part of the 'pond experience' as my
herd has grown to a few dozen of varying colors. There are some huge
scarlet ones that put on quite a show in the evening while I relax with a
soothing beverage.

"grubber" wrote:

"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
. ..
Hi all - On several occasions I have seen a dragonfly fly close to the
water, tilt its tail part 90 degrees and quickly dip it into the pond a
number of times. Even saw this once just using a little water on a lily
pad. I'm guessing its either 1)Drinking from the wrong end 2)Decided my
pond is his potty 3)Is giving me the finger, but cant fly up side down or
4)Laying eggs or whatever they have? Got any ideas?

btw- It has sure been an unexpected treat to get to see a growing number
of
varieties of colors and shapes of dragonflies. Till now I had barely
noticed those oversized flies and at other locations. I think they were
mostly blue/black or reddish tinged. I saw one recently that appeared to
have landed and and then rotated his wings perpedicular to the ground.
This
may be common, but not for me.

Bill Brister - Austin, Texas




Bill, you are psychic. I was having my coffee out by the pond this morning
and thought about posting this very question. After reading Kathy's
response, it's clear that it is dragonfly egg dropping time in Austin.

Dragonflies are becoming my favorite part of the 'pond experience' as my
herd has grown to a few dozen of varying colors. There are some huge
scarlet ones that put on quite a show in the evening while I relax with a
soothing beverage.


They are one of my favorite things about the pond also. I like that they
buzz around and mostly come to roost back at the same place - makes
photographing them easier. I spend lots of time standing in my pond, camera
focused on a rush. I'm also not embarrassed to say that I've rescued
dragonfly nymphs from my skimmer!


San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.



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This is just too much!.. Yesterday I watched my 16 year old son while he
watched the two newest dragonflies at our new pond. He was clearly
fascinated with them and before he left to go and be fascinated with his
girlfriend he asked, "Mom, what do you know about dragonflies? They fly
funny!" He has always had his head in the air, loves anything about
anything that flies, and has his hopes set on flying for the navy someday.

Thanks to you all I can tell him that dragonflies do indeed fly funny, if he
didn't already look it up for himself last night..

wrote in message
...
They fly in antiphase which is very impressive but I
forget exactly what it means.

Most of the stronger insect fliers have evolved means to link their
forewings and hindwings in flight so that each side functions as one
flight surface. Dragonflies and damselflies, in contrast, move the two
pairs independently, timing the stroke of the hindpair so that they
meet the oncoming air before it has been disturbed by the front pair.
Physicists would describe them as operating in antiphase.

Source: http://www.geocities.com/cyberfly271...agonflies.html

Jim
Zone 8a - Dallas, Texas
Pond, Veggie Filter, Pond Maintenance & Pond Tour Pics:
http://community.webshots.com/user/dallas75248

Yes, arent they just too cool. I have a couple of those huge scarlet ones
and also a very large electric lime one, but it has most of its color on the
section behind the head rather than the tail segment. Got any idea about
what the scarlet one is. If I got a clear pic(havent) but was going to ask
the group. When I tried to look it up the closest I found was a Scarlet Bog
I believe, but it was from Australia. We're not that south. It looked just
like it though. Brite Red long and very broad appendage part, rusty on
section behind the head.
Bill

"grubber" wrote in message
...
"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
. ..
Hi all - On several occasions I have seen a dragonfly fly close to the
water, tilt its tail part 90 degrees and quickly dip it into the pond a
number of times. Even saw this once just using a little water on a lily
pad. I'm guessing its either 1)Drinking from the wrong end 2)Decided my
pond is his potty 3)Is giving me the finger, but cant fly up side down
or
4)Laying eggs or whatever they have? Got any ideas?

btw- It has sure been an unexpected treat to get to see a growing number
of
varieties of colors and shapes of dragonflies. Till now I had barely
noticed those oversized flies and at other locations. I think they were
mostly blue/black or reddish tinged. I saw one recently that appeared
to
have landed and and then rotated his wings perpedicular to the ground.
This
may be common, but not for me.

Bill Brister - Austin, Texas




Bill, you are psychic. I was having my coffee out by the pond this
morning
and thought about posting this very question. After reading Kathy's
response, it's clear that it is dragonfly egg dropping time in Austin.

Dragonflies are becoming my favorite part of the 'pond experience' as my
herd has grown to a few dozen of varying colors. There are some huge
scarlet ones that put on quite a show in the evening while I relax with a
soothing beverage.

On Fri, 9 Jul 2004 12:58:34 -0500, "Pam Gibbs" wrote:

I can tell him that dragonflies do indeed fly funny, if he
didn't already look it up for himself last night.

Hi Pam,

I'm glad you found the information useful. I have a 14 year old
"know-it-all" son and can easily relate.

Jim
Zone 8a - Dallas, Texas
Pond, Veggie Filter, Pond Maintenance & Pond Tour Pics:
http://community.webshots.com/user/dallas75248

Its dragonfly during the day. Mosquitos do the same thing at night.