Death by Dragonfly

Adam Cheeseman · #1 (**permalink**) 15-07-2009, 10:09 PM

Hi All,

Came across this scene today. A female Emperor had caught hold of a Brown Hawker, managed to decapitate it, and proceeded to eat it whilst the headless Hawker was still thrashing around. The sound of the munching could be heard at least 10 feet away. Fortunately, it was a female Emperor as they tend to perch up to eat whereas males eat on the wing. Sorry for the slightly gory content of some of the pics. Enjoy!

and yes the female Emperor is laying on her back to eat!

Cheers,

Adam

DavyG · #2 (**permalink**) 15-07-2009, 10:16 PM

Great series and well captured Adam.

Thanks for posting these.

Dave

Ollie · #3 (**permalink**) 15-07-2009, 10:18 PM

Well caught Adam. Nature in the raw, a cracking series.

ron1863 · #4 (**permalink**) 16-07-2009, 12:46 AM

Cracking shots Adam, I've never seen one catching anything that large, must have been hungry

RoyW · #5 (**permalink**) 16-07-2009, 12:51 AM

A superb series of shots Adam - I don't think any dragonfly could manage such a large meal on the wing!

Jason Green · #6 (**permalink**) 16-07-2009, 02:56 AM

Wow, an incredible set of photographs there! I hadn't heard of Odonatas eating each other like that before.

Thanks for sharing!

Wild-Woman · #7 (**permalink**) 16-07-2009, 05:27 AM

I've seen this once before. Steve (Fourwings) will correct me if I'm wrong, I think it was a Four-spotted Chaser that and Emperor had in it's grips, munching away like it'd just opened a favourite sweet, decapitated it and contents being eaten with relish.
Once it had had it's fill, the body was dropped and it was away. Steve picked up the remains and handed to me. It was when the headless body curled in my hands that I yelped!

A great series of behavioural shots there Adam. Nature doing it's thing. Well done.

earthdragon64 · #8 (**permalink**) 16-07-2009, 08:41 AM

Great shots, makes you glad Dragonflies don't come any larger! They are both species I've yet to see, they aren't this far north.

Adam Cheeseman · #9 (**permalink**) 16-07-2009, 02:24 PM

Thank you for all your kind comments, from a complete novice with a digi-cam.

Cheers,

Adam

The Woodman · #10 (**permalink**) 16-07-2009, 02:30 PM

Amazing Adam, what great images. I've never seen anything like it - female on her back eating - gravity fed as it were.

sidewalkdoctor · #11 (**permalink**) 27-08-2009, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodman

I've never seen anything like it - female on her back eating - gravity fed as it were.

Let me introduce the missus.......

BTW an amazing set of images, Adam.

Ben

Kayleigh · #12 (**permalink**) 27-08-2009, 10:07 PM

Wow Adam, great shots....
Fantastic news of the mag how did they know.

Adam Cheeseman · #13 (**permalink**) 17-07-2009, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Wow, an incredible set of photographs there! I hadn't heard of Odonatas eating each other like that before.

Thanks for sharing!

Hi Jason,

Thankyou for the compliment.

Aparently Emperors will eat 'almost any other flying insect' and will also take small fish on occasion

Males eat almost exclusively whilst flying, females tend to perch up, or in this case lay down, more.

Cheers,

Adam

Adam Cheeseman · #14 (**permalink**) 24-08-2009, 10:55 PM

Hi Folks,

I sent these pics off to the British Dragonfly Society and they have asked if they can publish them in next Spring's issue of their magazine. How chuffed am I?

Cheers,

Adam