Rising Tide Images
Dragon's Perch
Dragonflies are energetic flyers, catching and eating prey on the wing. This one, on a high perch, was warming in the morning sun, almost posing for a photograph. It is amazing how dragonflies independently control the angle and speed of each wing to attain the swiftness and agility to hunt and catch other flying insects. They eat copious amounts of mosquitoes, flies, and midges. Older than dinosaurs, their polymer chitin mosaic wing structure has remained optimal and relatively unchanged over 300 million years. The intricate structure of dragonfly wings provides stiffness for support as well as flexibility to generate high aerodynamic lift while minimizing concentrated areas of wing stress.
Dragon's Perch
Dragonflies are energetic flyers, catching and eating prey on the wing. This one, on a high perch, was warming in the morning sun, almost posing for a photograph. It is amazing how dragonflies independently control the angle and speed of each wing to attain the swiftness and agility to hunt and catch other flying insects. They eat copious amounts of mosquitoes, flies, and midges. Older than dinosaurs, their polymer chitin mosaic wing structure has remained optimal and relatively unchanged over 300 million years. The intricate structure of dragonfly wings provides stiffness for support as well as flexibility to generate high aerodynamic lift while minimizing concentrated areas of wing stress.