Time for Dragonflies!

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Not just another ordinary dragonfly post, as this one is special. In the first picure is a dragonfly carcass.

Did you know that dragonflies live most of their lives under water, up to 7 years as Nymphs ?

Fossils of very large dragonfly ancestors in the Protodonata are found from 325 million years ago (Mya) in Upper Carboniferous rocks; these had wingspans up to about 750 mm (30 in). About 3,000 extant species are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Source

They only live as adults for a couple of months to breed, then they die after the females have laid their eggs.
Here are some amazing pictures for you of these wonderful and beautiful insects.
Plus a bonus as we have some new ones also in here.

This was the dam at the farm and I inspected the reeds that you can see here below. The first picture was taken in the reeds.
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This Red Veined Dropwing peeped at me as I sat down.
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As I said, they live for a limited period to mate and then it is kaput.
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The Bonus!

A pure gold Dragonfly and I have not found the specie name yet.
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The sun on this guy also made it very difficult to identify him.
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And finally the last two photos are the ultimate for me, as this is a percher, meaning that he can only hang when he lands. (They cannot sit)
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Here's another shot of him and he is not from the Emperor, or the Hawker family.
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But yes I will do some research to determine the two species above, as it is my first time to see them.
Maybe some of you might know what they are, but I doubt it, as this is South Africa and I don't know if these emigrate. It is winter here now and if they could leave, they would have been gone by now.

You can read and see all about dragonflies Here

And That's All Friends!

Note: All photos are my own and taken with a Canon Powershot SX60HS Bridge camera.

We hope that you have enjoyed the story and the pictures.

Thank you kindly for supporting a post by @papilloncharity



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68 comments
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Cool small bugs and very hard to get them :) Here they are also soon back and I try get also some cool new photos what them :)

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Oh yes, I know that you will get them and you just have to be patient when you want to get them on camera. Patient and standing still.

Blessings.

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You hit the jackpot with sightings around the dam this time, some research never easy to find out who they are.

As always exceptional photography with your dragonflies, most definitely have a knack of knowing how to get the best of them Stephen.

!LUV
!PIZZA
!BEER

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Wow, these shots are great again, my friend, the Emperor looks huge and has such nice blue eyes, but the golden dragonfly is something special - great find, cool photos as alway, Zac 👍😃


!PIZZA with !BEER or with !WINE - both make a nice dinner :)
!invest_vote

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Good morning from a wet Cape Hannes,

Yes, I am always excited when I get a new Emperor, but I don't have them all yet.
That golden one is also a real beauty with its lovely shine. I am busy researching the drags on the other side of the mountain towards the north, as the weather is different there on the wine farms.

The farm that we visited has 3 dams, so I think that I will have a happy time to investigate there with my camera.
If you have a map of the Western Cape Province, then you will see the area between Somerset West and Stellenbosch.

Cheers and Thanks.

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Good morning Zac,

I'm using lunchtime again for replying - maybe later I'll not go online at all.

Here we have sunshine, but it's quite cold in the shadow areas.

I have had a look at the map - there are quite a lot ponds or dams in this area. I wish you much luck with your search for the dragonflies and I'm sure you'll find some more nice ones.


Cheers and !BEER
!invest_vote

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Good evening Hannes,

A mad day again and you might like the shots that I got from the car during our trip to meet the local Ward Councelor. A very interesting guy and it seems that he likes us. But one always has be careful of politicians 🤣

Cold and raining again throughout the night, but thankfully no damages here yet. Very big hailstones shattered windows and roof tiles in another town and two guys died when their truck was carried away by a flood.

Great that you looked at the map and yes, there are many unexplored places waiting for my camera.
We will see how it goes.

Cheers and thanks.

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Good afternoon Zac,

I am late today, but I didn't have any time.

Yep, if you believe only half what they say you are very optimistic 🤣

It has been raining here too, but the rain has stopped in the afternoon. You not only have the bigger animals and insects, also your weather is worse than ours. Sorry for that joke, it's sad enough.


!BEER and !PIZZA - nice 😃
!invest_vote

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No reasons required Hannes and a good morning to you.
Our friendship is cast in stone and we simply have to do when we can.

Yes, I call them the 50/50 guys, They talk a 50% truth in the morning and then they change that truth 50% the next day 🤣

A bit of sun has stuck it's head out right now, so it seems that we will have a nice day.
It was me and the bats again last night in the rain, bur still no luck with this stupid flash.
So now I am determined to get that other flash and to prepare for next year's winter.

In Africa everything is big my friend, even my ears and my feet 🤣

Cheers and thanks.

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Good morning Zac,

it has been rainy and wet here till about an hour ago. Now the sun has come out and it's getting warmer. Tomorrow will be beautiful weather they say. No wonder, I am working tomorrow 😂

I would say 50% they lie and 50% they don't talk the truth 🤣 ... but not all of them. My brother in law is vice mayor in a small village and you may believe that what he says is true.

So the bats were here? One day you will get them. I hate using the flash and never take it with me. If it's too dark I have a little LED light, but I avoid dark situations anyway.


!ENGAGE 30
!BEER and !WINE and !PIZZA - perfect 😃
!invest_vote

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Good evening Hannes,

So, this guy with a pony tail in his long beard arrived here at our home to meet with me. He is an expert in wooden pole erections and I bought 8 X 6 meter thick poles as cross support fot the carport roof.
Problem is that the poles are too long and heavy for me to install alone and he has a team of installers. So we chatted a bit and I asked him what it would cost me to hire his team for a day.
Now hear this, he said that because I bought the poles from them, that he and his team will install it for free this coming week. How's that for service.

We insisted on paying and he said no, that we can rather buy his team cool drinks.
So, soon the carport will be finished.

Maybe you can sneak out early for a ride tomorrow 😇

50/50 over there maybe but here it is more 30/70 methinks.

Yes, I am now determined to get the TT Flash for next year's winter and I will have until Autumn next year to save up for it. I will try again to get them at midnight tonight, but it's difficult, as I have to wait for one to dive down from the fruit to get him into the flash range. Thankfully tonight there is no rain as last night I got terribly wet.

Cheers and thanks.

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Good evening Zac,

wow, that's what I call a service - this guy is great 👍

I'll not be at home before the late afternoon, because I have a meeting at 1pm, but I don't mind because this coming week will be short and from Thursday on I have free ... and rain, if the weatherman is right.

Maybe you are lucky tonight, but I wouldn't have any idea how you could get a better shot of a bat at night.


Cheers and !BEER
!invest_vote

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Oh yes, he looks very rough, but his heart is in the right place Hannes.
I will take a photo of him and his team when they arrive and show you.

Oh man, I really hope that the rain is not going to spoil things for you.
I was out in the thck mist this morning and it's always a battle with the camera.
Just glad that you will have a few days off my friend.

Bats will have to wait until next year, as then I will be ready for them.

Imagine if I can get this one clear.
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Cheers and thanks.

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From the look of someone you can see if he's a worker or not. If you could see me you would immediately know I am no worker, at least no physical worker ;)

The weatherman still says it will rain the whole weekend long, and I am still looking forward to a few days off work where I can try to shut down the computer in my head which always thinks of work.

You can see what it is, but a little bit sharper would be fine 😉


Cheers and !BEER
!invest_vote

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Hahaha, I have never seen a policeman that looks like a worker Hannes 🤣🤣🤣

Oh man, I hope that just by chance there will be a break for you during the rainy weekend.
But you are right, as you can certainly get your mind off work.
Just try your best to take a real rest.

The say that the Canon TT flash will light it up like daylight, so Yes, I will get the bats clear eventually.

Cheers and thanks.

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Me neither - some have had a real job before joining the police forces, but nowadays the youngsters come directly from school or from UNI. They have no idea about real work and life.

We'll see - I'm looking forward to the photos of the bats.


Cheers and !BEER
!invest_vote

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Yeah, I told you in the previous post that we are training up a few youngsters as new community leaders.
They are also straight from school and they were each given their own charity project.

Like little goats to the slaughter, but we were called in to help and they are starting to shape.
I keep things very practical and I tell them not to do what I say, but rather to do as I do 😀

So I can imagine how you are struggling with new school leaders and just don't teach them to sleep in the offices 🤣

Cheers and thanks.

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The youngsters should look how the older work and behave. Just finishing the school doesn't mean you know everything.

You are doing it the right way Zac, that way they will be able to avoid getting slaughtered 😄

Btw, when they are sleeping at work they can't annoy other people 😁


!BEER and !PIZZA - nice 😃
!invest_vote

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Hahaha, as with our own children they do indeed think that they know everything Hannes.
Their biggest mistake is to ignore sound advice, but they swee us as old and old fashioned.
Only until they make a huge mistake and then they come running to ask for help 🤣

What I like about this group is that they are pliable and absorb whatever I say like sponges.
I of course just have to be ultra careful in the things that I say and teach. But I depend on the Holy Spirit to control my tongue.

We were discussing the issue of pride and it's dangers. So I took my shoe off and showed them a hole in my sock 🤣
Believe me that it worked very well, even though I did it on the spur of the moment to show them that we are to remain humble.

Hahaha, a very good one as then you can work in peace amidst the snores.

Cheers and thanks.

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That's good, and if you don't tell them some of the things you tell me that you do, they might become great teachers themselves 🤣

So you have told them that one can be proud on a hole in his sock? Just joking, I know what you mean, of course - you are proud of your wife because she will tech you how to mend your socks yourself 😂


!ENGAGE 30
!PIZZA and !BEER - sounds like a nice dinner :)
!invest_vote

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Hahaha, no I think we better keep our secrets away from the kids and I put a zipper on my mouth and a halter on my tongue when I instruct them on the things of charity work 🤣

Now think about it this way Hannes, if my wife could mend, I wouldn't have a hole in my sock.
So I am left to my own devices of which I have none and that's why I have a hole in my sock.

I like how the two sock words line up in the senctences above 🤣

Cheers and thanks.
Makes perfect sense to me

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And I like that you said Makes perfect sense to me because it somehow confuses me, but a reason might be that I have just come home from my parents.
I have made a hike yesterday evening and stayed in my tent on the mountain over night. That was a new experience to me, and I am quite tired after carrying my 20 kilo backpack. And I have learned that I have packed way to many things, because I think I have thought I would stay a week in the woods 🤣


Do you prefer your !PIZZA with !BEER or with !WINE ?
!invest_vote

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Hahaha, here a very funny funny thing happened Hannes.

In my mind I was ending the post with a Cheers and thank you. But at the same time Marian was discussing an issue with me and I typed exactly what I said to her. Makes perfect sense to me 🤣🤣🤣

As you know, I am always glad when you visit your parents and I know that they are just as glad.

New things are always good for us and I hope that you enjoyed your night on the mountain.
In your case one has to be prepared, but I also know that you can scale that backpack weight down to a max of 10kg. My army kit including my rifle weighed approximately18 kgs. and with it I could spend 3 weeks in the bush.

Cheers and thanks.

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Oh, so I wasn't confused at all 🤣

I was much to prepared - I didn't need the tripod and I had too much food. There have been a few brooks running because of the melting snow, so I wouldn't have had to take any water with me. At least 6 kilos have been to much. The temperature was below zero, so I needed a warm sleeping bag and some other stuff which I wouldn't need in summer, but yes, I had definitely too much in my backpack.


!PIZZA and !BEER - sounds like a nice dinner :)
!invest_vote

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Sorry, out of BEER, please retry later...

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the dragonflies are so beautiful I think it took you a long time to be able to take these pictures.

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Thank you and patience always works my friend, as I can stand for an hour or more in one place.

Cheers and !BEER

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haha I really admire you I don't have that much patience

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One can always learn how to be patient my friend, as it is a good strength to have.

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Very helpful advice I will try to be patient about everything. Thank you for your advice

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