Under cover
Although the greater part of living nature manages its doings in an aqueous environment, much less is known of life below the water surface than of above-ground life. Most people know even less about what is happening in water bodies when their surface is covered by an icy lid.
Cover to cover vol 10
Written and photographed by Kaido Haagen, kaidohaagen.com
Translation: SilverT
Witnessing the dance of the Spanish dancer (Hexabranchus sanguineus) is one of the most exciting experiences in tropical waters. I was offered a somewhat similar, but bit more modest northern style performance by the great pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) in Antu Sinijärv . Usually, snails can be seen crawling along water plants or logs which have fallen into water, but this time one individual decided to express itself in mid water. Unfortunately, the photo does not capture movement, therefore the photo was taken at the moment when the „dancer“ rose near the surface to take a quick look in the mirror.
During the same dive I saw another snail near the shore floating oddly in the middle of the water. Common bithynia (Bithynia tentaculata) was hanging on an invisible thread and slowly rotating around its axis.
Actually, my intention was to photograph Dytiscus (great diver), because I had spotted some mating Acilius sulcatus in the same place around the same time on a year before. Unfortunately, I was only able to see them for a second this time and this also happened in the cover of thick vegetation by the shore. However, an Ilybius fenestratus swam to my glove to rest itself.
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