Damselflies Laying Eggs

Different species of damselflies and dragonflies emerge throughout the warmer months of the year.  Entomologists lump them all into three categories  –  “spring,” “summer” and “fall” fliers.  Fall fliers generally emerge in mid-summer and fly through early to mid-October.  Recently, at a nearby pond, it appeared that damselflies were taking advantage of the lingering warm days by mating and laying eggs before cold weather set in.  Nearly every cattail leaf was loaded with several pairs of damselflies, most of which were still attached to one another (the males continue to grasp the females after mating with them to prevent the removal of their sperm by other males).  When I returned the next day, there wasn’t a damselfly in sight.

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