Here you see one of the most vicious creatures known to man, if you judge by disposition, size, and weight. It’s a male blue dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis:.
He’s a bit longer than one inch and weighs much less than an ounce. As usual, he’s sitting on a favorite spot in his territory, ready to fiercely attack any other male and hook up (literally) with any female of his kind that gets close. (Female blue dashers are mostly brown and yellow, despite their name, as you may know.)
This blue male also is ready to dash out and kill any small flying insect that comes by, including mosquitos, moths, and flies. Blue dashers have voracious appetites; they reportedly consume up to 10 percent of their body weight in insects daily. (Imagine what 10 percent of your body weight in daily solid foods would look like.) Image taken in Brooklin, Maine, on August 5, 2024.