Five incredible images of dragonflies glistening in Shropshire sunlight covered in morning dew
Stunning dawn photos show dragonflies glistening in the sunlight on a reed at a beauty spot while covered in morning dew.
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Wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek Peters, 59, captured the black darters - Britain's smallest species of dragonfly - roosting at Long Mynd, Shropshire, this week.
Incredible snaps show their dew-encrusted wings appearing to glisten 'like diamonds' as the sun came up at the nature reserve in the Shropshire Hills.
Andrew got up at 4am and spent over an hour-and-a-half searching in the boggy heathland for a sight of the tiny creatures - which measure just 3cm (1ins).
Andrew, of Lydbury North, Shrops., said: "Black darters love boggy areas so I was up at 4am crawling about among the reeds waiting for the sun to rise.
"They are incredibly hard to spot as you're looking out over acres of land but as the sun comes up you can see these sparkles in the distance as the light catches them.
"And then you just hope it's been cold enough the night before for the dew to form and create this beautiful effect.
"It's the best time to get them, as they need the sunlight to heat their wings in order for them to be able to fly.
"But when it's windy it can prove extremely difficult to get them in focus as you can imagine.
"I've been studying dragonflies now for ten years and I'm currently working on a book but this diamond-like effect never ceases to amaze. It's just stunning."
