Country diary: The inspiration for a first world war flying ace? | Phil Gates

Low Barns nature reserve, Witton-le-Wear, County Durham: Dragonflies perform an aerobatic stunt while pursuing prey that isn't unlike a famous dog-fight manoeuvreAfter a steep fall in temperature overnight, I'm wishing I'd worn gloves this morning. Common darter dragonflies are feeling the cold too, lined up along the handrail of the boardwalk through the reedbed, catching the first hint of warmth as the sun creeps over the treetops.A female darter shares her sunbathing perch with flies, easy prey in mortal danger, but safe until their cold-blooded predator reaches working temperature. She is so torpid that I can peer into those enormous wraparound, all-seeing eyes from just a few inches away. She begins to fidget, raises her body, performs knees-bend leg exercises, and then a tremor travels through those wrinkled cellophane wings. In a moment she'll fly, but first, one more system to test: her head rotates, on that slenderest of necks, clockwise then counterclockwise. Continue reading...