Grab your partner by the neck

[ocrdu]

No, that's not a square-dancing instruction, but damselfly foreplay.

These are small red damselflies (Ceriagrion tenellum), koraaljuffers in Dutch, about to mate. The male has grabbed the female by the neck:

^{Olympus Stylus 1s, 42mm, ISO200, f8, 1/80s}

^{Olympus Stylus 1s, 42mm, ISO200, f8, 1/60s}

I saw them the other day in the Armenveen, a peat bog in The Netherlands, near the German border.

They retreated discreetly for their mating, but here's an older photo showing how bendy they need to be for that:

^{Olympus XZ-1, 28mm, ISO100, f5.6, 1/100s}

Thanks for watching!

Comments

[randowhale]

This post received a 0.6% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @ocrdu! For more information, click here!

[imprimateur]

"No no not with your hands - you have to grab your partner by the neck using your butt!" XP

[ocrdu]

Don't try this at home.

[kskarthik]

Hahaha... They are working so hard. 😂

[vm2904]

That is some amazing closeup photography. I also learnt this new fact about damsel flies. It must have taken a lot of patience to take these clear pictures. Well done. Upvoted.

I have posted an outlook on burden of life with my original pictures. I request you to take a look when you have time. Your views, experiences and comments on the subject would be very welcome. Thanks

[steemboys]

Saw that before, but not in such a detaill and wasnt aware of the acrobatics too 😂😂

[digitalis]

awesome catch :)

[ocrdu]

Thanks!

[ramyar]

thatz amazing photography..!!
good work :)
beautiful..!

[ocrdu]

Thank you!

[olegst]

Dragonflies are as incomparable as ever!
I still do not come across :)

[ocrdu]

There must be some near you flying around pools of water somewhere?

[olegst]

We have dragonflies too fast and small :)