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Balance,,,


Balance,,,
Photo Information
Copyright: Narayanan Ganesan (gannu) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 921 W: 4 N: 2302] (10736)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-28
Categories: Insects
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-11 2:16
Viewed: 286
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Friends,

Some details about dragon flies.

Adult dragonflies are masters of the air: fast-flying, extremely maneuverable and equipped with extraordinary senses. They are large, colorful, sometimes territorial, predatory insects with fascinating behavior, and they display most of the hunting characteristics of raptors (hawks and falcons). Their prey can be anything from smaller flying insects to other dragonflies.

Dragonflies go through three stages in their life cycle: egg, aquatic larvae and adult. It is during the first two of these stages that dragonflies often run into trouble.

Many species of darners, a dragonfly type, insert their eggs into emergent vegetation. When emergent vegetation around a body of water is removed, darners are also removed.

Some dragonflies will lay eggs in soil near bodies of water, which makes them susceptible to trampling and other such disturbances. " 'Cleaning up' a pond by mowing its borders and removing all the aquatic vegetation pretty much sterilizes it for most dragonflies, notes dragonfly expert Sidney Dunkle.

The larvae of all dragonfly species are aquatic and require water. Changes to a watershed that reduce the water-holding capacity of the land, resulting in alternating spring run-off floods and late season droughts, reduce the amount of suitable aquatic habitat.

Reservoirs are poor habitat because fluctuating water levels often preclude the establishment of aquatic vegetation. No aquatic vegetation equals no dragonfly production. If the aquatic habitat is free of fish, dragonfly larvae are usually the top aquatic predator. Waters that contain fish will produce significantly less dragonfly adults (80-90 percent less according to some studies).

The small seeps, springs and riparian zones on our arid public lands should be excellent dragonfly habitat, but humans have eliminated dragonflies from many of these habitats by allowing springs, seeps and small riparian zones to suffer livestock use so heavy that plants are eliminated.

Springs, seeps and small riparian zones are frequently "developed" into waters that dragonflies can't utilize at the expense of waters that they can. As a final insult, we allow livestock feces and urine to contaminate and eutrophy these habitats, resulting in dissolved oxygen levels below what these active aquatic predators can tolerate.

The loss of dragonfly larvae from these habitats is a two-edged sword: Not only do we lose an amazing creature from a local ecosystem but we also enhance populations of the equally amazing diptera (a.k.a. mosquitoes and flies). Many of the diptera breathe air, not water, and can be quite at home in waters that are actually quite foul. In my college days, I was often appalled at the quality of waters I would sample for larval mosquitoes.

As adults, dragonflies are powerful predators. Though they emerge fully-grown, It is as larvae that the bulk of their eating and growing is performed. As a child, I kept dragonfly larvae in a small aquarium and can vouch for the fact that they eat many aquatic insects and even small fish!

Just as the removal of fish from a body of water enhances dragonfly survival, removal of dragonflies enhances survival of other aquatic insects.

Dragonflies are an important part of the world around us. The adults you see may be present in habitats that wouldn't support the entire life cycle; the mobility of these creatures is part of their appeal.

Thanks for looking.

Have a great weekend.
ramthakur, mayuresh, haraprasan, red45, goldyrs has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

The one on the left is the female Scarlet Skimmer and the other one is a Slender Skimmer, Ganesan. There are so many of them on the wing these days.
Both the images are sharp and colourful and stand out crisply against the plain BG.
Well done and TFS.
Ram

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 3 N: 376] (1127)
  • [2008-07-11 6:39]

Hi Ganesh,
I'll be back for critique.
Thanks for posting.

Hello Ganesh,
both images are excellent with good details,perfect sharpness and lighting,good bg,
well done,
tfs

Hi Ganesh Ji,
A lovely capture of these two different species of dragonflies showing balancing act. Very good details and a nice composition in every frame. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2829 W: 75 N: 8024] (26857)
  • [2008-07-11 9:55]

Hello Ganesh!

Very good pictures of both species. One from left is real golden jewel. Both with high quality, good composition and details. Long and interesting note.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1691 W: 242 N: 5580] (19801)
  • [2008-07-11 13:11]

Very nice pair of photos.
Both shots are excellent!
Bright colours, good lighting, excellent composition and brilliant DOF.

Well done,
Joe

A superb collage, bro!
Both shots very well timed and focussed!
Goldy

Hello you managed to shoot and created a collage. Very sharp picture. Good one. Vignesh

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