Stewkley Wildlife Reserve
Large Red Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly - Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Size - 2 to 3 cm long
See them - May August.
The Large Red Damselfly was first noticed in May 2012, after the pond had been planted and the plants were beginning to be established, which give the insect places to lay their eggs.
Above shows a male and female mating and the female laying eggs on an underwater plant stem, they also fly about coupled together as shown, looking for other places to lay their eggs.
The eggs hatch to nymphs which live in water, eating others small aquatic creatures, living there until the next year when they will climb a plant stem to emerge as next years Damselfly.