23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Wasp feeding on dragonfly
This photograph captures a wasp feeding on a dragonfly, suspended beneath a leaf in the "Ciane's river" reserve in Sicily. The moment is raw and precise: the predator hangs upside down, its yellow-striped body sharply outlined against the dark background, locked in a ritual of survival. The composition is visually striking, but it also reveals the brutal elegance of nature, where beauty and violence coexist. This image is not just about form; it’s about instinct, necessity, and the quiet tension between life and death.
Photo Detail
| Date Taken: | 07.2025 |
| Date Uploaded: | 10.2025 |
| Photo Location: | Siracusa, Italy |
| Camera: | Canon EOS M50 |
| Copyright: | © Mirko Caggioni |