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Mountain Darner | Austroaeschna atrata |
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Mountain Darner Dragonfly Face
Image: 512×512, 55KB
Date & Time: 2 March 2007 12:20
Place: Warburton
Austroaeschna atrata Ovipositing
Image: 480×432, 52KB
Date & Time: 1 January 2008 14:30
Place: Kallista
Dragonfly Consuming a Wasp
Image: 576×480, 50KB
Date & Time: 1 January 2008 15:50
Place: Kallista
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These large dragonflies can be seen along swift mountain streams,
where males will hold territory, and surrounding forests.
Females are a little more elusive but come to the waterways for
ovipositing, often underneath logs up to a couple of metres over water
(as shown in the second photo above).
They can be observed from mid summer to mid autumn.
They are a mostly dark brown dragonfly with pale yellow marking in the form of
loose shapes on the sides of the thorax and mottled pattern along the abdomen
(where the female has more pale markings).
Most similar to Austroaeschna subapicalis, which however has more bright markings on top of the thorax.
Although uncommon, I have observed them quite often in the hills east of Melbourne
where the waterways are clean and lined by Tree-ferns.
On one occasion I watched a male consume a European Wasp, Vespula germanica,
which I would consider a dangerous occupation.
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Mountain Darner Dragonfly Face
Austroaeschna atrata Ovipositing
Dragonfly Consuming a Wasp