Wordless Wednesday: They Fly United

ALSO, SEE

Red Dragonfly (赤とんぼ) Akatombo in Japanese

Going Extinct in Japan?

Shooting Dragonflies wasn't planned as I went on my morning walks the past few days.

But, they kept showing up and reminded me of this article I read recently. 

It seems like the poor rascals are headed the way of dinosaurs, in mainland Japan.

Some scientists estimate 99% of the Red Dragonfly population has been wiped out.

The population of dragonflies seems to be doing alright in Okinawa.

They claim, bug spray used by mainland farmers, is what's destroying the insects.

But, the chemical companies manufacturing bug spray would argue. Not our poisons!

Just like in America. Sugar ain't bad for your health. Ask any breakfast cereal company! 

Grandkids Are Always Popping Up Around Here

It's summertime, they live nearby and, Grandpa always has ice cream.

A story about dragonflies mating will have to be modified. Adults can read the link.

Let's see. The one in front is the male dragonfly and, they're flying around together.

He has his "Hu-Ya" stuck in her "Ah-Hum."

Flying around at high speed, they're looking for a safe place to land.

Then, they really get it on and do the copulating thing.

More at How Dragonflies Mate.

Sorry for the shortened version. I gotta run before all the ice cream is gone!

In the Wild -- A Pair of Mating Ryukyu Damselflies (Photos)

Warning: Maybe the Younguns Shouldn't Look

 

 

The research was kind of difficult on these insects but, we gotterdun.

First, I'll introduce you to the single male.

That gives you time to send the kids outside or, to play with their game-thingies.

 

Ryukyurimontonbo (リュウキュウルリモントンボ) is what he's called, in Japan.

Coeliccia ryukyuensis ryukyuensis would be the Latin name.

Okinawa Yanbaru Field Guide, helped me do the identification.

ISBN978-4-408-32351-0

That is a good guidebook, with lots of photos but, no English.

So, I use several methods to do my search.

When, you type,

 
Ryukyurimontonbo (リュウキュウルリモントンボ) in an English search engine,  doesn't work.

So, I take the Japanese characters and put them in one of their search boxes.

Sometimes, I even use the Chinese sites.  Whatever it takes.

All kinds of ignorance, left my brain today.

That bug, up there, I thought he was trying to swat the fly. Wrong.

Are Those Children Gone Yet ?

 

 

 

What that rascal is doing, is getting ready for sex.

 

He probably doesn't even know the fly is there. Other things are on his mind.

 Off he went, to grab some female, by the back of her neck.

It's a good thing, I read all the resources about how these insects mate.

My excuse for going home late tonight, won't work, now.

There's no sense, telling the wife, I met a gal with a vagina on the back of her head.

That excuse won't work, anymore but, it might have, if it was true.

An expert on the subject, would tell you, the male, is using that blue tip, to grab the gal.

In the first photo, he was probably, transferring stuff, from one penis to another.

The scientists say, when the female is ready, she gets in the position above.

She has to bring her Doohickey up to meet his, is what, I think they mean.

And, they call this, the wheel formation.

Well, in Okinawa, people consider that to be the shape of a heart not, a wheel.

It may not look like a heart, to you.

 

Not wanting to disturb them at such a tender moment, I waited until I got back here.

 

And, flipped the photo so,  you could view the heart shape.

Can you see it ?

Learn more about these insects:

 

About (dot) Com 

 Things Biological 

 Insects of Okinawa

 

 

A Pair of Common Yellow Grass Butterflies (Photos)

They Really Do Fly United

 

 

We spotted them flying in the northern area of Okinawa.

There's supposedly, a place up there, where you can see whales jumping in the ocean.

Shooting a camera from land, is lots easier, than from a whale-watching boat.

But, it was so cloudy, over the ocean, you couldn't have seen whales, anyway.

When these characters, stopped in a sunny spot, I shot them for you.

My good friend, Doc, said they were mating.

And, gave me the idea for my subtitle.

Backing off a bit to give them some privacy, a few dozen photos were made.

It beats watching airline commercials.  Doesn't it ?

For more information about these Eurema hecabe butterflies, checkout:

Butterflies of Singapore

Ten Random Facts 

or

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia

Related Post -- Butterfly Photo: Common Grass Yellow