Table Manners, Not, Pt. 3 - _TNY_9947
I came across this male ruddy darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) on the ruin wall of the old mill at Åva. there were loads of stinging nettles around, about chest high, so I were glad I had chosen long pants. Just as I reached the wall, the dragon fluttered away - but it immediately came back around so I tried holding my hand out. Success! It decided to land on me and that's when I saw that it had caught something.
The victim here is some sort of fly and I watched through the lens as the darter devoured it. In part 1, the face and one compound eye of the fly was still showing, but those mouthparts soon turned into an unrecognisable pulp. Dragonflies definietly are effective - if somewhat grisly - eaters.
Part 1, a little more from the side and with the victim more easily recoginzable as a fly, here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52278164892/
Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53693356687/
Table Manners, Not, Pt. 3 - _TNY_9947
I came across this male ruddy darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) on the ruin wall of the old mill at Åva. there were loads of stinging nettles around, about chest high, so I were glad I had chosen long pants. Just as I reached the wall, the dragon fluttered away - but it immediately came back around so I tried holding my hand out. Success! It decided to land on me and that's when I saw that it had caught something.
The victim here is some sort of fly and I watched through the lens as the darter devoured it. In part 1, the face and one compound eye of the fly was still showing, but those mouthparts soon turned into an unrecognisable pulp. Dragonflies definietly are effective - if somewhat grisly - eaters.
Part 1, a little more from the side and with the victim more easily recoginzable as a fly, here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52278164892/
Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53693356687/