Scarlet darter, teneral ♀ (Crocothemis erythraea)
Now that was one lucky fly - the damsels being otherwise engaged :-) Large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) The female is ovipositing and the male holds on to her until she is finished doing that. As they fly around a lot during that process to spread the eggs to many different places, he keeps holding her the whole time to prevent other males mating with her, because the last one who does is the one who fertilizes the eggs - so he makes sure it's his offspring! Nature at work...
Large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) The female is ovipositing and the male holds on to her until she is finished doing that. As they fly around a lot during that process to spread the eggs to many different places, he keeps holding her the whole time to prevent other males mating with her, because the last one who does is the one who fertilizes the eggs - so he makes sure it's his offspring! Nature at work...
