A male Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) spotted along the shore of Accotink Bay. Notice the abdomen of a male Orange Bluet damselfly (Enallagma signatum) lying on the leaf to the right of the dragonfly. The Eastern Pondhawk probably ate the head and thorax of the Orange Bluet, although I didn’t actually witness the event.
The Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly is a …
Voracious predator, especially females, eating odonates of all kinds their own size and smaller… Source Credit: Paulson, Dennis (2011-12-19). Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East (Princeton Field Guides) (Kindle Locations 10223-10224). Princeton University Press. Kindle Edition.
Habitat: Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, a 1,200 acre preserve located at Army Garrison Fort Belvoir, Fairfax County, Virginia USA.
Copyright © 2012 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved. www.wsanford.com
Tags: Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge, Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, Enallagma signatum, Erythemis simplicicollis, mature male, Orange Bluet damselfly, Pond Damsels Family, predator, prey, Skimmer Family, wildlife photography
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