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stevevalley.bsky.social
A male #WesternRiverCruiser #dragonfly #Macromia-magnifica #FreewayLakes #AlbanyOregon,USA
#Odonata #Insects #Anisoptera #Macromiidae #Cruiser #Invertebrate #Entomology #FocusStacking #NikonD810 #ZereneStacker #BugPics #DragonflyPhotography #Science #SteveValleyPhotography #photography #SciArt #Art
A male Western River Cruiser dragonfly, Macromia magnifica at FreewayLakes, Albany, Oregon, USA. All species of Macromia are some of the fastest flyers, while at the same time extremely agile at dodging an odonatologist's or odonatist's net. M. magnifica has gray eyes that have deep maroon tones. Most Macromia species in eastern North America have emerald green eyes. They all have very long legs as do their nymphs. This was shot several years ago, before invasive Water Primrose took over at Freeway Lakes and covered most of the surface. Nikon D700 w/200mm Micro-Nikkor. A male Western River Cruiser dragonfly, Macromia magnifica at FreewayLakes, Albany, Oregon, USA. All species of Macromia are some of the fastest flyers, while at the same time extremely agile at dodging an odonatologist's or odonatist's net. M. magnifica has gray eyes that have deep maroon tones. Most Macromia species in eastern North America have emerald green eyes. They all have very long legs as do their nymphs. This was shot several years ago, before invasive Water Primrose took over at Freeway Lakes and covered most of the surface. Focus stacked with a Nikon D810 w/50mm APO Rodenstock Rodagon mounted on a Nikon PB-4 Bellows..
February 13, 2025 at 8:08 PM
stevevalley.bsky.social
A mating pair #CommonGreenDarner #dragonfly #Anax-junius at #FreewayLakes #Albany,Oregon,USA

#Odonata #Insects #Anisoptera #Aeshnidae #Darner #Invertebrate #Entomology #FocusStacking #NikonD810 #ZereneStacker #BugPics #DragonflyPhotography #Science #SteveValleyPhotography #photography #SciArt #Art
A mating pair of Common Green Darner dragonflies, Anax junius at Freeway Lakes Albany, Oregon, USA. Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) mating morphology and behavior is different from any other order of insects. Males produce sperm packets at the end of their abdomen, but then transfer them to accessory genitalia (hamules) on their 2nd abdominal segment. Dragonfly males have 3 appendages at the tip of their abdomen, 2 upper cerci and a single lower epiproct that they use to grasp the head of the female with the cerci going behind the female's head and the epiproct grasping her between the eyes like a clamp, sometimes even damaging her eyes. If the female recognizes the male's grasp she is stimulated to curve her abdomen tip up to the male's hamules and he transfers his sperm packets to a special special pouch so she can fertilize each egg as she lays it. In some species the males will remove any sperm from earlier matings, sometimes they pack their sperm on top so that it fertilizes the eggs. Aeshnids (Darners) all oviposit by inserting their eggs individually into some sort of soft substrate like plant tissue, soft wet wood, etc. The eggs have to be wet or submerged to develop. Shot with a Nikon D700 and a 200mm Micro-Nikkor. See the photo of the female's dorsal head for damage caused by the male's epiproct. A female Common Green Darner dragonfly, Anax junius at Freeway Lakes Albany, Oregon, USA. We can tell she has mated and passed her genes to the next generation because the male she mated with grasped her head between his cerci and epiproct and the epiproct caused the dents in the eyes. Shot with a Nikon D810 and a Rodenstock Rodagon 50mm APO mounted on a Nikon PB-4 Bellows. See the alt text on the other shot for a more detailed description of dragonfly mating.
February 12, 2025 at 9:05 PM