[Odonata-l] mystery egg masses

[Kathy &/or Dave Biggs]

A few folks asked if anyone had other Odonata egg photos.
Here's a link to the Cardinal Meadowhawk, Sympetrum illotum, life cylce 
that includes eggs:
http://southwestdragonflies.net/DRAGONFLY_LIFE_CYLCE.html
That's the only other egg shots we have. This page includes a great shot 
Ray Bruun took of an in-hand Western Meadowhawk, S. occidentale, laying 
eggs.
I wonder if they do that because they feel they are about to be eaten 
and the reflex is to at least release the eggs that could possibly fall 
back into water?
Cheers!!
Kathy Biggs

-- 
California Dragonflies	       http://www.sonic.net/dragonfly
Southwest Dragonflies	       http://southwestdragonflies.net/
Bigsnest Wildlife Pond	       http://www.bigsnestpond.net/
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Kathy and Dave Biggs	       bigsnest at sonic.net      707-823-2911
308 Bloomfield Rd.             Sebastopol, CA  95472 
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dba Azalea Creek Publishing    azalea at sonic.net   fax: 707-823-2911
http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/azaleacreekpublishing/ 
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Jim Markowich wrote:

> Just want to say that this kind of photo reference is of great help to 
> those of us who remain perpetual but fascinated dilettantes. If anyone 
> has similar photos of egg masses and can upload them, it goes a long 
> way toward educating... the masses (pun suddenly intended).
>  
> Thanks Kathy and Dave!
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Kathy &/or Dave Biggs <mailto:bigsnest at sonic.net>
>     *To:* Dennis Paulson <mailto:dennispaulson at comcast.net>
>     *Cc:* Odonata-l <mailto:odonata-l at listhost.ups.edu>
>     *Sent:* Monday, February 09, 2009 5:32 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [Odonata-l] mystery egg masses
>
>     Here's a pix of /Epitheca canis /egg mass we watched being laid.
>     http://southwestdragonflies.net/caphotos/basketaileggstring.jpg
>     Kathy Biggs
>
>-- 
>California Dragonflies	       http://www.sonic.net/dragonfly
>Southwest Dragonflies	       http://southwestdragonflies.net/
>Bigsnest Wildlife Pond	       http://www.bigsnestpond.net/
>------------------------------------------------------------------
>Kathy and Dave Biggs	       bigsnest at sonic.net      707-823-2911
>308 Bloomfield Rd.             Sebastopol, CA  95472 
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
>dba Azalea Creek Publishing    azalea at sonic.net   fax: 707-823-2911
>http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/azaleacreekpublishing/ 
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>Dennis Paulson wrote: 
>
>>     Hello, all.
>>
>>     Has anyone out there photographed or seen clearly the egg strings
>>     of any species of /Epitheca/ (including /Epicordulia/ and
>>     /Tetragoneuria/)? I have often seen the females ovipositing, but
>>     in water too deep for me to go look at the eggs. Judy Semroc, a
>>     colleague in Ohio, has sent me photos of linear masses of
>>     eggs that look much like odonate eggs looped around floating
>>     plant stems. But the masses are up to a couple of inches wide and
>>     two feet long, with thousands of eggs in them. The eggs are
>>     elongate and don't look like any amphibian eggs I have ever seen
>>     (most North American genera). I know female /Epitheca/ sometimes
>>     gather at single localities and lay many eggs, but this seems a
>>     bit much. If you cut across one of these "strings," you would hit
>>     about 5-10 eggs. I have no idea what else they could be, and if
>>     anyone else knows, I would much appreciate the information. I can
>>     send the photos to anyone with special interest in this.
>>
>>     Thanks for any help with this mystery.
>>     -----
>>     Dennis Paulson
>>     1724 NE 98 St.
>>     Seattle, WA 98115
>>     206-528-1382
>>     dennispaulson at comcast.net <mailto:dennispaulson at comcast.net>
>>
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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>>  
>>
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