Dragonfly Obsession
Milla Peterken
Milla Peterken
Between June 11-21st 2023 I spent most of my days hanging around my garden pond looking for the next dragonfly metamorphosis to happen. I’ve had a pond for about 7 years but I have never seen so many dragonfly nymphs creep out of the water and up to the safety of my tall grasses or irises and in one case just the wall of the pond. Last summer was very different and the pond was empty of water, and I was devastated! But by the winter a quick pond dip revealed plenty of dragonfly nymphs.
Figure 1 My pond
Back to this summer. Once the nymphs had found a place of safety they began their mesmerising metamorphosis, pumping their bodies full of fluid and pushing their way out of a tiny hole in the nymph case, drying out their wings before flying off. If you are patient enough you literally see the dragonfly emerge from the nymph body to leave the exuvia (former self body case) behind. On some days I was counting 4-5 exuvia and I collected at least 20 over the period.
Figure 2 Mesmerising metamorphosis
Figure 1 My pond
Back to this summer. Once the nymphs had found a place of safety they began their mesmerising metamorphosis, pumping their bodies full of fluid and pushing their way out of a tiny hole in the nymph case, drying out their wings before flying off. If you are patient enough you literally see the dragonfly emerge from the nymph body to leave the exuvia (former self body case) behind. On some days I was counting 4-5 exuvia and I collected at least 20 over the period.
Figure 2 Mesmerising metamorphosis
I have also enjoyed seeing the dragonflies with their partners come back and lay eggs in the pond, so hopefully the cycle will continue in my pond.
Nature has extraordinary ability to cope with change but we need to continue to respect our influence upon it. I would say the best thing to encourage biodiversity in my garden, is my pond. It’s not very big, but hosts a wide range of freshwater invertebrates . It’s a good place to spend a few hours just looking at it and being filled with interest, wonder and joy.
Figure 3 I seem to have a multiple birth unit in my pond!!
To find out more about wildlife ponds go to
https://www.surreywildlifetrust.org/act-wildlife/wildlife-gardening/wildlife-gardening-advice/wildlife-ponds
Watch our dragonfly movie
Nature has extraordinary ability to cope with change but we need to continue to respect our influence upon it. I would say the best thing to encourage biodiversity in my garden, is my pond. It’s not very big, but hosts a wide range of freshwater invertebrates . It’s a good place to spend a few hours just looking at it and being filled with interest, wonder and joy.
Figure 3 I seem to have a multiple birth unit in my pond!!
To find out more about wildlife ponds go to
https://www.surreywildlifetrust.org/act-wildlife/wildlife-gardening/wildlife-gardening-advice/wildlife-ponds
Watch our dragonfly movie