The first sight of the morning sun

"New born eyes always cry with pain
At the first look at the morning sun
Fool if you think it's over 
It's just begun"

I make no apologies for featuring yet another damselfy emergence, (although this will probably be the last for a while).  I rather liked the way the weak morning sunshine casts a shadow of the emergence on the iris leaves in the background, a bit like those shadow puppets that we used to make whenever Dad got the slide projector out when we were young. 

I've given you an extra of something that I've only seen rarely: the damselfly in its nymph or larval form which has crawled out of the water, in preparation for its emergence into its adult form.  It was very aware of me and I had to approach it with some care, as I didn't want to interfere what was about to happen in any way.  As you can see, the nymph has brought a tiny piece of pond weed with it.  In another few minutes the back of the carapace splits and the emergence proper begins.

This one made it out safely and eventually its wings and body hardened enough for it to take to the air for its maiden flight.  They don't all get that far.  There have been a couple recently that have been damaged by gusty winds or rain which were so close to making it, but sadly didn't.