Dragonfly exoskeletons left in Green Shop's pond

I had a good day going up to the top of the hills to the farm shop. I needed a few supplies which were all at hand, including some more seedlings of French beans, lettuce, rocket and a couple of pretty young flowers to bring some extra colours into the garden.

I also went to the local garage at the Green Shop (yes, I know that is rather an anachronism, but hey) to get fuel for the strimmer and some good organic local milk. Roger B., the owner and a friend for nearly thirty years, was there and we had a chat about the dragonflies which emerge from his pond on the garage forecourt. Last year he showed me one as it was emerging from its exoskeleton, but that was at the end of the first week of June.

Apparently this year the dragonflies all emerged over a number of days ending on last Monday. After Roger left I got my camera and stayed for  quite a while beside the pond. I counted at least twenty of these amazing exuvia, which are the dry leftover casing (exoskeleton) of a dragonfly nymph thas emerged and flown away. 

Roger said they live under the water for several years, then climb up the reeds, where they emerge from the shell, before drying out for a short time and then flying. The spend a short time flying searching for mates, and then die.