One day a few years ago I was walking through the Sackville Waterfowl Park (worth the stop if you're passing through Sackville NB) and saw a newly emerged dragonfly flutter weakly to the walkway railing. They don't fly so well when their wings haven't hardened. I was admiring it, thinking inspiring thoughts about the wonder of life and such-like, when a little bird dropped down out of the trees, snatched it up, and flew away. If I were a novelist I'd work this into a pivotal scene in a book, but instead I'll use it to introduce a couple of pictures of unfortunate odonates.

There are lots of spiders around our pond, so I guess it was inevitable I'd come across this scene:


This one surprised me a little, although on second thought, why not? They're predators, after all, not like it's the same species...

(considerable crop)

Then again, there are the water scorpions. For all I know, the smaller one is the offspring of the larger one.


I hope nobody's too grossed out, I tried to make the title a warning!

Julie

[channeler]

I spoke too soon. You've been very busy! Your shots certainly bring out the cut and thrust of the natural world Julie. Really clear with good DOF overall. The reed on the right in 2 is perhaps a bit distracting but 2 is an amazing picture. I have yet to see that for myself in nature.

Paul

[LaRee]

Well done Julie. An interesting series. I see they were taken at 70mm by the exif. What lens were you using? Did you use flash at all?

[Tom Lusk]

You've just gotta love cannibals!

Just kidding, but any time there's interaction in a nature photo, it automatically gets an extra 10 points from me!