Damselfly eruption in our garden

THE whole point of almost breaking my back to dig a big hole in our garden, and then fill up our local tip with spoil (ruining my suspension in the process), was to create an environment that would encourage the amazing and magical transition from nymph to adult - I am, of course, referring to damselflies and dragonflies.  

Admittedly the frogs, toads, beetles etc. are also pretty special, but not much comes close to a damselfly emerging from the pond.  I was not sure when this might happen, but last weekend, with the consistent warmth (at last), all systems were go and the rush was on.  

The first I knew of it was the sight of iridescent sets of wings catching the sun and alighting on my hand!  Once I looked, I realised that there were loads of empty bodies clasping iris stems where the insect had already completed its transition into adulthood.  So the next day I was out early, camera in hand and this is the result...

Here is a sequence of this magical process of emergence and the outcome at the end of a large red damselfly (I think).  Incidentally this is a very slow process!

 

Another adult in the garden: