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Deep Blue Eyes - _TNY_5615

This little charmer is a male common spreadwing (Lestes sponsa) which I happened upon at my absolute favourite photo spot of Åva-Stensjödal in Tyresta national park, just south of Stockholm, Sweden.

 

Back in the late 1700s, people built a mill there and they erected two dams to be able to run it powered by water and there were a series of mills in use there until as late as the 1910s.

 

The dams still remain and the lower one is quite shallow and have become a very nice habitat for dragonflies as well as damselflies and lots of other cool bugs. Beavers also enjoy it.

 

The common spreadwing is one of those species which can suddenly appear in abundant numbers and unlike almost all other damsels, these don't keep their wings tucked in over their abdomen when at rest, but instead keep them open, more akin to how dragonflies do.

 

If you're watching this on a computer, try hitting "L" and then "Z" and have a look at the detail on that deep blue eye. Really happy with how that came out!

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Uploaded on February 22, 2022
Taken on September 9, 2021