Assisting dragonflies - any thoughts?

[vole-woman]

I spotted two dragonflies at the 'just out of the case with bedraggled wings' stage this morning, and the rain was starting up. So I carefully cut the stalks they were clinging to at the base, popped the stalks in a vase and put them in my greenhouse, near the open door. Now the dragonflies' wings are fully extended and vibrating, so I think it won't be long till they fly (and the rain's stopped now, hooray).

Is it OK to interfere this way, or should I have left them where they were?

Also, what garden birds eat dragonflies? We've had about twenty dragonflies hatch, counting up the exuviae, but haven't really seen any flying round the pond and I've come across two dismembered ones. My husband says I shouldn't be feeding the birds sunflower hearts, peanuts, fat balls and apples because it spells doom for the dragonflies: is he right?

[PMG]

Well I think its ok to interfere and help stuff to have a life cos I measure the balence against how much is killed by being hit by cars ....... so to me its ok!

We also feed birds in the garden and elsewhere year round - it helps the parent birds if they can have a quick and nutritious top up before going off searching for live 'grub' to feed to their young ........ We have watched the sparrows picking off newly emerged damsels tho - which is upsetting - but some must get away with it. Us stopping feeding would'nt make any difference as we are a garden surrounded by gardens - so the birds would still be present and search around the pond whether we feed them or not. I haven't come up with any way of protecting the damsels and dragons that would leave them free to fly away when they are ready - so in this instance nature takes its course and better to have a pond than not have one .....

Pauline

[vole-woman]

Thanks, Pauline.

[Wild-Woman]

Yes I agree with Pauline. Think of all the damage we do with pesticides. Helping out some of these insects can only do good.

[vole-woman]

I hope I start seeing some flying round the pond soon!

[aeshna5]

Well done damsel to the rescue!

[earthdragon64]

If I had a pond in my garden with Dragons and Damsels I'd do the same.

[vole-woman]

Damsel - ha ha!

Here they are:



and here's one of them on its maiden flight:



Is it another Southern Hawker?

[Wild-Woman]

Yes- another Southern Hawker.

[ollyk]

Definately

[ron1863]

Well done Kate, I would do the same. God knows how many I and others have killed while driving, pollution etc. Nature needs all the help it can get nowadays.

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

So I carefully cut the stalks they were clinging to at the base, popped the stalks in a vase and put them in my greenhouse, near the open door. Now the dragonflies' wings are fully extended and vibrating, so I think it won't be long till they fly (and the rain's stopped now, hooray).

Is it OK to interfere this way, or should I have left them where they were?

As far as I'm concerned this is ok. It's not as though you actually handled them which would probably damage the wings, especially as they weren't fully dried off so I think you did them a good turn.

[glsammy]

I once rescued a four spotted chaser that was trapped on a window ledge in a hide at Whisby. I lifted it off the ledge and placed it on to a nearby tree and then watched as it finally emerged.
I wouldn't hesitate to do the same thing again.

[vole-woman]

Thanks, folks.