Dragonflies are amazing creatures. As predators in both their juvenile and adult stages, dragonflies teach us that we must always act, and not sit idly by. Developmentally, dragonflies are unique in that they spend their young stages underwater, and their adult stages in the air. They are top predators in both air and sea, at least as far as the insect world goes. You'll be hard pressed to find other insects that can snatch ants, bees, and wasps from the air and enjoy a leisurely meal on a fence post. This picture shows the other unique part of dragonflies: their mating. The male “controls” the female by gripping the area behind her head with his rear end. The male's sperm is actually stored closer to his head, and the female will curl her abdomen around into a “wheel” shape to get it. The male generally holds onto the female until she deposits eggs with his sperm underwater, as you can see this female doing. I'm not sure what life lesson there is in this mating acts, other than to see something through to the end and hold on for all that you're worth. Happy Monday!
