Emergence of a Predator

While checking out a floodplain along the Ochlocknee River yesterday, I ran into an emerging predator – a dragonfly.

Fresh from the naiad, this Darner (Family Aeschnidae) represents one of the largest and fastest dragonflies found anywhere in the world. After hatching from an egg, they immediately begin to feed on minnows, tadpoles, aquatic insects, and other small prey - including conspecifics (like siblings). Once reaching adulthood, they quickly become the scourge of mosquitoes and flies.

Naiad

Newly Emerged

Almost Ready to Hunt!

Reference:

Density-Dependent Cannibalism in Larval Dragonflies
Josh Van Buskirk
Ecology, Vol. 70, No. 5 (Oct., 1989), pp. 1442-1449
Published by: Ecological Society of America
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1938203