Apex Predator

Golden ringed Dragonfly.

Cordulegaster boltonii

 

This is the UK’s largest dragonfly and you won’t be surprised to know that it is also a voracious predator and powerful flyer, eating damsel flies, bees, wasps and even other dragonflies. I managed to photograph it with the help of my wife, which is an amusing story in itself…..

 

My wife said to me “have you got the right lens on for a dragonfly” - “yes” says I and she led me to where it was, on a pot plant on the patio low to the ground. Despite it’s very large size, at least 8cm - well over 3 inches, those markings and me using my 20x magnifier on the back of the LCD monitor, I just could not find it, right under my nose, centimetres away and big enough to trip over but I couldn’t find it.. My wife - blessed with both brain and eye,

stood behind me as I knelt so she could see where exactly I was pointing the camera…….

 

“Left…..left….left…..right a bit… find the edge of the pot……up a bit ….now you should have it……”

 

And there it was. What a team!

 

And now it is here :^)

 

Done