AN ADULT DRAGONFLY JUST EMERGED FROM ITS LARVAL FORM IN MY POND!!!!

One of the wings is still to unfold! S gloriously beautiful!!

UPDATE: I checked the pond tonight. The dragonfly didnt manage to wriggle it's wing out :(

The hollow case was still attached, and the wing wasnt free.

Delicately using dissection pins, I slowly pulled the folded up fourth wing out, with no distress to my little friend.

BUT, the wing is dry. My little friend usually would have them a little moist, and then they would open up as they dry in the sun.

Using a pipette (from my dissection kit), I let a few drops of water trickle down the wong, in the hope that it moistened it a little.

It fluttered a little bit, but couldnt take off. I have placed it back, safely on the underside of a large leaf so it can rest, and hopefully extend that wing.

If it's still there tomorrow, I may have to take it indoors and look after it. Theres no way I can leave it out there clinging to a leaf until it dies. I mean, look at those eyes.

She's still there and not looking good. No change in her wing. I'm going to call her Betty.

I gave Betty a shallow bit of pond water so she could have a drink.

I'm not too sure if I can feed her. Dragonflies eat around 30 to 100 mosquitoes a day! And beetles, bees, and butterflies. I might see if Betty has a taste for wood lice.

Betty had a little walk to stretch her legs. Her front two wings work beautifully. The back two are not working at all.

I tried to let Betty eat some woodlice. She wasnt interested :(

To steal a quote from Dr Alan Grant, dragonflies dont want to be fed. They want to hunt. You cant just surpress 325 million years of gut instinct.

Dragonflies evolved around 325 million years ago, during the Carboniferous Period. Some beautiful fossils have been found, like this one from around 150 years ago in what is now Germany (Image M Heaton)

There were some MASSIVE dragonflies in the Carboniferous, like Meganeura monyi. It was around the same size a crow! (Image Didier Descouens)

Here are Betty's eyes. Dragonflies have excellent vision and are incredible aerial hunters. They catch other flying insects in the air.

Betty died :(

For the briefest of time, I was the mother of dragons. Rest well Betty.

Betty is now pinned, and ready to go in one of my little ones insect collections.

My little ones collect dead bugs they find when we are out on walks. They have a pretty impressive collection. These are a few I have to prep for their insect boxes.