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Resources British Dragonfly Society A first port of call for UK Dragonflies with comprensive species guides, latest news and a lot more UK Dragonflies A new and growing forum based community for dragonfly enthusiasts Dragonflies and Damselflies of the New Forest Doug Overton's excellent site containing photos, photographic techniques, videos, sites and a forum Dragonflies of North East Hampshire and Surrey Borders A site concentrating on species and locations in North Hampshire British Dragonfly Flight Chart At a glance flying times chart for UK species Chris Brookes Photography Comprehensive and informative photography-based site with superb detailed information Videos Damselfly Courtship Male damselflies compete for females, grabbing them from the water. The males try to keep hold of their female after mating, but when she disappears underwater to lay her eggs, they can be dragged under. Other males flutter around the pair as they submerge. Dragonflies In Flight The summer rains have softened the ground and from out of the peat bogs emerge this year's dragonflies. There are more species here at Loch Marie than anywhere else in Scotland, thriving on the abundance of rain and midges, which makes this one of the best places in Britain to see dragonflies. Life of a Female Damselfly A damselfly's adult life is so short that a newly hatched female must mate and lay her eggs in the same day that she hatches. Her success will depend on her fragile wings. Few insects can escape from a spider's web, but her wings are more powerful than they look and the female manages to pull free and avoid a sticky end. Over the stream, dark-winged males compete with each other for the best territories. The female watches and waits for a chance to mate with the victor. Once mating is over, she must find the best location to lay her eggs. She warms her muscles up, before taking off and flying low over the stream, a dangerous strategy when there are insect-loving frogs lurking under the surface. But she needs to lay her eggs underwater for them to survive so has to dice with death. Then, for the first time, her wings become a hindrance as they become waterlogged. But in fact they help her in an unexpected way. She traps a bubble of air underneath them so she's able to dive underwater, and stay under long enough to cut a hole in a stem and lay her eggs. Then, she has to get out of the water fast before she drowns, and once again her wings look like they'll spell her death sentence. She has to use every bit of her strength to pull her wet wings free of the surface tension and only the strongest of females will survive this final test. Banded Demoiselles In Flight The slow-moving water of a river is home to these insects, but to breed they move into the fast lane. Living Fossils Some fossils are almost identical to animals alive today - these are known as living fossils. David Attenborough compares the fossilized crocodile jaw to that of a living crocodile. A 150 million year old dragonfly fossil has the same body plan as a modern dragonfly. And we know what creature lived in a 50 million year old nautilus shell, because pearly nautiluses still swim in the Pacific today.