Oak Ridge, TN June 16, 2008 It is extremely difficult to get a good photo of these dragonflies, they NEVER slow down or stop flying it seems! Since dragonflies can zip about at up to 35 miles per hour, it can be very difficult to photograph them. I had been following this pair with my telephoto in hopes of getting a shot of them while they were "in tandem". They had just separated when I took this photo; the female is the lower dragonfly.
While hiking at Haw Ridge I noticed a commotion in a nearby tree and saw this dragonfly eating a Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly. Dragonflies can carry prey that is nearly as large as themselves! I took this photo with a 70 - 300mm telephoto lens. Despite their weight, it pays to carry a variety of lenses! Thanks to Jim Bangma, a dragonfly enthusiast, who helped me identify this and the following "dragons and damsels"!
order: Mecoptera Great Smoky Mountains National Park August 9, 2008 I heard a very "punny" joke that only an entomologist would appreciate during the Bugguide gathering! (Complements of Eric) Question: "What did the bartender say to the Scorpionfly?" Answer: "Why the long face?" These insects do have a very elongated head. :)The males also have an enlarged knob at the end of the abdomen which looks like a scorpion's stinger.
