18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Damselfly

I found this damselfly perched on a dried flower head close to a shallow wetland located in a local nature preserve. Damselflies are predators that feed on a variety of other insects, including mosquitos, flies and gnats. They typically capture their prey in flight – grabbing them with their hairy front legs and consuming them with their large mandibles, which can be seen in this image.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2020
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
Camera: ILCE-6500
Copyright: © Anne Readel