Рыцарь высокой башни
Самцы многих видов стрекоз охраняют индивидуальные участки, на которых они охотятся и ожидают самок. При появлении самки между самцами иногда происходят драки - если сосед залезет на охраняемую территорию. Охотничий участок для самцов служит также «брачным покоем». Стрекозу можно изо дня в день встретить на определенной территории, где она последовательно облетает несколько точек-ориентиров, проверяя (и утверждая) границы участка. Патрульные облеты охраняемой территории - это одновременно обследование охотничьей тропы: заметив добычу, стрекоза отклоняется от заведенного маршрута, а схватив добычу, возвращается на свой участок. Некоторые самцы остаются без территории и разбойничают, забираясь в чужие владения. Хозяева участков таких разбойников усиленно гоняют, ориентируясь на специфическую окраску и размер самцов своего вида, но если в схватке побеждает пришелец, хозяин становится теперь изгоем, а разбойник - резидентом.




























This story begins when I visited a local stream, with camera in hand, eager to practice macro photography, using a few of my realistic fishing flies. The first thing I did was place a realistic housefly on top of a twig, and secured my camera onto a tripod, and snapped the image below...
A bright orange dragonfly seemed rather determined to pull an easy meal from the twig


Luckily the hook held tight, or another fly would have likely disappeared


I really like this shot of an orange Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) dragonfly, holding my realistic fly


This dragonfly pulled vigorously, and became increasingly frustrated, trying to secure an easy meal


One good thing about the mid day light being so bright,
it allowed me to remove my camera from the tripod, and move in closer.


Almost immediately the orange dragonfly returned, landed beneath my yellow and blue fly, and slowly creeped closer and closer, but never did make contact. Numerous photos were taken, and a variety of facial expressions seemed evident, including this photo where it appears a mate might have been found. After about 15 minutes of quiet rejection, the orange dragonfly left the scene.


I began to wish I had a realistic orange dragonfly to place on the twig, to see what the reaction would be. The closest thing I had was a yellow and brown dragonfly, and perhaps putting some food in its grasp would entice the orange dragon to return.


After a few minutes of furious action, the battle seemed to have been decided, he was king of the twig.


The attack was severe enough that my fake fly was knocked sideways.


He's king of every twig on the stream


At times it seemed as if the king had found his queen