Hiding under my wings

Time to sleep

Dragonflies - Scarlet Dragonfly

Male 

Female

Damselflies - Goblet-Marked Damselfly

Photographing in the field and then deep search into the books to identify the species! This is another new species for me. It's a male Goblet-Marked Damselfly (Erythromma lindenii). 

Butterflies - Dusky Meadow Brown (Πεταλούδες)

A Dusky Meadow Brown butterfly (Hyponephele lycaon) shot under harsh light at Rihios river, Greece.

Butterflies - Knapweed Fritilary (Πεταλούδες)

Fritilaries in my opinion are the among most beautiful, yet most difficult to identify, butterfly species. These Knapweed Fritilaries (Melitaea phoebe) were mating in late summer in Lake Volvi. After a while I met another individual with its wings spread and was able to photograph the upperside as well.

A Dragon's breakfast

Life can be hard, especially if you are small. This is what happer to this small damslefly (Blue-tailed damselfly - Ischnura elegans) which is being eaten by its larger distant "cousin", a Scarlet Dragonlfy (Crocothemis erythraea). Odonata are indeed ferocious predators!

Butterflies - Wall Brown (Πεταλούδες)

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera)

Marsh Frog...Smile!

This little frog was well camouflaged in the environment, but yet gave a smile to the camera! 

Butterflies - Mallow Skipper (Πεταλούδες)

When photographing in close up you need to get as close to the subject as possible. Some butterfly species are easily frightened and fly away once you start approaching them. However, others, like this Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae) let you get pretty close without flying away.

Camouflaging - Small Red-Eyed Damselfly

In nature, very often the best way to survive is to remain unoticed. However, if your body is blue and your eyes red things get complicated, unless you find something reddish and rest there for a while. That's excactly what this male Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum) chose to do in order to fit the environemt. This might not be so well displayed by this photo, but if you  had the chance to see this insect from the front side, it was extremely camouphlaged!

Butterflies - Anomalous Blue (Πεταλούδες)

Anomalous Blue butterflies (Polyommatus admetus) are endemic to south-eastern Europe. I saw this one alone around many Common Blues (Polyommatus icarus), as is the usual case with this species. Really glad to have photographed it!

Still Alive

Early in a summer morning, with much dew, this elder male Red-Veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) was trying to stay alive for one more day. Spreading the wings in order to gain energy from the sun, is the usual way to achieve this.

Butterflies - Painted Lady (Πεταλούδες)

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) in Lake Volvi, Greece.

Butterflies - Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Πεταλούδες)

Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) in lake Volvi, Greece.

Butterflies - Short tailed Blue (Πεταλούδες)

Short tailed blue (Cupido argiades)