Mating Migrant Hawker Dragonflies - Aeshna mixta
A smallish hawker dragonfly that can be seen flying well into the Autumn. Breeds in gravel pits, lakes, reservoirs, canals and will even tolerate brackish water but will avoid acidic water. Males can sometimes be seen flying low over the water in numbers along marginal vegetation in search of females. Before the 1940's this dragonfly was a migrant visitor to the UK but is now classified as a British species hence the name Migrant Hawker. When dragonflies mate the male will grasp the female by her front end of her thorax (pronotum) if she is willing which is called the 'mating wheel' and will then fly off together over the water with the female laying her eggs just below the surface with the male clasping her by the neck, who said romance was dead, lol.
Mating Migrant Hawker Dragonflies - Aeshna mixta
A smallish hawker dragonfly that can be seen flying well into the Autumn. Breeds in gravel pits, lakes, reservoirs, canals and will even tolerate brackish water but will avoid acidic water. Males can sometimes be seen flying low over the water in numbers along marginal vegetation in search of females. Before the 1940's this dragonfly was a migrant visitor to the UK but is now classified as a British species hence the name Migrant Hawker. When dragonflies mate the male will grasp the female by her front end of her thorax (pronotum) if she is willing which is called the 'mating wheel' and will then fly off together over the water with the female laying her eggs just below the surface with the male clasping her by the neck, who said romance was dead, lol.