First time I have seen a damsel eating a damsel. I see several shots here on iNat. Female it appears but I think it is an Eastern.
A very large dragonfly. In the spring run in front of the Visitor Center at Hobbs State Park July 2, 2022
Sitting out front and watched a Falcate female flutter across and lay an egg on a Cardamine in my garden box. Put the plant in a container with soil. Shot the egg under the scope with my phone. Will monitor cat if successful.
Several days later this egg still has its cat inside. Failure? Not sure. Found a second Cardamine with an empty egg shell and another. And this 3 mm cat on it (third shot).
4th shot two days later than 3rd. 4th of April.
5th shot 7th of April and beginning to show a white side stripe. Moved out to seed zone.
6th shot 4/13 at 13 mm. Was 11 mm yesterday.
7th shot 16 April. Now too big for scope. Shot with Canon. 25 mm. Was 20 mm yesterday. Will need to release it soon.
Mixed hardwood/pine woodland. Mass of males mating with a new queen.
There are two different parasitic mites on this individual. Water mite larvae (Arrenurus) found on the abdomen (84707562) and a velvet mite larva on the right mid-coxa (84707690). I let the dragon go and didn't grab any of the Arrenurus. I removed the mid-leg and attempted rearing the erythraeid larva, but it did not survive and the specimen was destroyed by fungus. I am attempting DNA techniques to see if it is a species I have previously sequenced, but updates on that story will occur on that specimen's page (84707690).
Many males and some females in mixed species swarm above open area (lawn, road)--and by far the most abundant species (30-50). Other species included widow skimmers, spot-winged gliders, prince basketails, and a few singletons I couldn't get a look at.
Caught this while playing Dungeons and Dragon
Freshly emerged.
Dragonfly eating another dragonfly.