Hairy Dragonfly question

[zail]

I spotted this male Hairy Dragonfly on a visit to Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels on Monday 3/5/2010. I was very pleased to spot it as it's the first one I've ever seen and as it was windy and fairly overcast it sat on the vegetation and let me snap away and even change lenses! (Hopefully I'll post some of the macro shots to the Gallery). It only flew away when I inadvertantly knocked a stem near to the one it was sitting on...

However, you will see it is sitting with wings folded in the manner I associate with damsels rather than dragons - is this normal behaviour for this species? It kept it's wings in this position until it flew off. A man I had met earlier had photographed either this one or another and it was sitting with wings in the more usual outstretched manner.

I also saw numerous blue tailed damsels, one azure male damsel, 2 adult large reds and 6 teneral reds so not a bad odonata day at all

[RoyW]

Sounds like you had a very good day for Odonata considering how early it is in the season (I still haven't seen any yet - must get out for a proper look very soon!).

Hairy Dragonflies generally perch with their wings open in the same way as other dragonflies, however, it is very common to see recently emerged dragonflies with their wings folded in this way - even after they have made their first flight. Dragonflies will also sometimes perch like this during poor weather conditions (eg. rain), particularly (perhaps mainly?) within a few days of emergence.

[zail]

Thanks for the info RoyW - it was indeed a good day Third site I've seen large reds at in the last couple of weeks - a pond at work here in Bristol being the first, Priddy Pools on the Mendips being the second - which surprised me as it's quite high up and you would expect things to be a little behind up there...