Have you ever witnessed a dragonfly attack?

[Loupey]

A dragonfly being attacked, that is.

I have watched them flying low over water and laughed as bullfrogs and largemouth bass leap after them. I did see one bass rip the female off a flying, coupled pair. Camera was just going up when it happened so no shot


Now that the waters are shrinking and the frogs are everywhere and hungry, I was very keen to watch this pair. This sequence in order that it unfolded. 1) watched this coupled pair looking for a place to land to lay their eggs. 2) with the female submerged up to her head, the male watches out for danger. 3) panic as something grabbed the female under the surface - the male de-couples and takes off, the female fights herself out of the water and the aggressor makes himself visible.

Not the sequence I was looking for as the frogs generally will converge from on top of the water (they start army-crawling towards anything that moves). So I didn't see the attack coming and didn't get the shots I was looking for. Sorry about the processing - sun was peeking in and out of the clouds that day.

[Eric D]

Awesome captures!! Nature at work! Great timing on these!!

[AgingEyes]

So the female survived? Wow!

[mn shutterbug]

Interesting & educational sequence.

[Loupey]

Eric - thank you very much!

AE - Survived? She got away but don't know if and how long she survived. She was mauled for a good 2~3 seconds before getting away and her right wings look a little odd. Fortunately for her, the frog was of the little species. Had any of the bullfrogs been nearby, she wouldn't have had a chance. Thanks for looking.

Mike - thanks. I have to admit it was a bit entertaining as well

[Cassie1]

Awesome captures!! Nature at work! Great timing on these!!

I certainly agree with Eric.

Cassie.

[scott-devon]

Wonderful series Loupey. You must have the patience of a saint to capture these sort of actions.

Amazing...

[Loupey]

Cassie - thanks for the kind words

scott-devon - thanks and I don't know if my patience is that of a saint (my thoughts definitely aren't ) But yeah, these sorts of sequences would be perfect if I had a tripod with me. But I usually have the camera atop a monopod and I have it generally pointing in the right direction so that when something happens, I just readjust and shot. Often, when there is no time, I've had to shoot before my eye gets to the viewfinder. But it doesn't take much of a lean to have the subject completely out of the frame

[slayer7124]

Very good series here Loupey!