Had a great hour at DENR Tuesday lunchtime- and it was wonderful to see 42 emerald damselflies. They are just like little jewels. But there were two really special things for me - the first this dragonfly exuviae. I knwo they are not intrinscally beautiful but they are intrinsically fascinating. They are almost exact replica of the dragonfly that emerges to spread its wings and live the final stage of ist last as a glorious insect. I am starting a collection of exuviae, and have this and a goldenring that I was given. The two are very different. This is the smaller of the two and having peered at it I am fairly sure it is a brown hawker. I think it has a broad mask which makes it different from the southern hawker and it is slightly smaller. The lateral spines on S6-9 help to make it this species. It was in the right place- on the stem of a reed mace - marginal vegetation. I just loves these and the story they tell. Really want to find more.
And then this very newly emerged common darter. Over and hour the colour deepened the veins in its wings started to fill out. It became more active and its eyes starting looking all around as only a dragon can. What a joy to see it take its first flight. Wonderful. 
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