Sunday, August 16, 2015

Dragonhunter

Dragonhunter
 The dragonhunter is the largest dragonfly that we have here in the upper Midwest. It has an average length of about 3.3 inches, well short of the giant darner, which at 5 inches is the longest dragonfly in the US. The dragonhunter is beefier though. It's abdomen is so large that the tip often curls down in a J shape when they fly. They are typically found around moderate to swift flowing streams and rivers where they can live up to seven years in their larval form, called a nymph. They are fierce predators eating other large dragonflies, as well as butterflies including the toxic monarch butterfly.

3 comments:

Gemma Wiseman said...

I am quite shocked at the idea that one dragonfly will eat another. Grand macro.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

That is a stunning image of this dragonfly.

Nonnie said...

the eyes look gigantic next to the rest of the dragonfly. I didn't realize that they eat butterflies- boo hoo