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This page features insects that live and hunt in (and on) water. I'm including insects that have a larval or nymph stage that lives in water, although
the adults might not (such as dragonflies). The most recent events will be at the top of the page, with older observations as you move down. I
was inspired to create this page because of research I did recently (2024) about water bugs. The picture above shows our collection table
during a pond life program on the Spillway Trail in 2019--featuring an assortment of water insects (which all happen to be true bugs!) and a few other
animals (freshwater shrimp, tadpole).

 

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August 02, 2003  l admit it. I like some science-fiction. I like some science-fiction movies, I like some movies with monsters, and some movies with alien creatures that will come up upon 
their unsuspecting prey and rip their head off. But, you know what's really, really cool?  This kind of thing is happening on Earth, in real life, all around me! And, unless you (my internet guest 
who's reading this) live somewhere like Antarctica, it's happening all around you, too!  To see it, all you need to do is stop thinking all the time, take a mental rest, and just look around.
The RICKUBISCAM today is a picture of something that caught my attention when it moved just at the edge of my peripheral vision. At first glance, it looks like two dragonflies attempting to 
make more little dragonflies. Then we can see that they appear to be two different species of dragonlfly.
Then, if we take a closer look (see THIS CAN'T BE GOOD, below), we can see that the brown dragonfly (According to Park Naturalist David Heinicke, the Green Dragonfly is a female 
Eastern Pondhawk-Erthemis simplicicollis; the deceased one is a female Widow Skimmer - Libellua lucuosa. Thanks, David.) is missing its head and part of its thorax. A little bit closer view
(see CONCEALED WEAPON, below) shows the mandibles slipping from their wonderfully complex and mechanical sheath and grinding away at the hapless victim. To see two short clips 
of the mandibles in action click on the following links clip one (flv video 647kb, or see EATING 1, below); clip two (flv video 658kb, or see EATING 2, below). (Sorry about the movement of the
camera. I couldn't set up a tripod.)   Now we can see that this is the outcome of another intricate, high-speed dogfight between two dragonflies. Those bozos! Can't they cut that stuff out and 
go after deerflies and mosquitos instead? There must be plenty of those to go around! However, when you get to this level of existence, you have prey animals, and then you have animals 
that you have to compete with for that prey, and you have animals that might think YOU are prey. A dragonfly eating another is not only giving itself more food by eliminating competition; it's 
getting a meal directly while it's eliminating the competition! Not to mention that it's also eliminating a potential attacker. Wait, I mentioned it.  Oh, well. 

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               GHASTLY EMBRACE                                               THIS CAN'T BE GOOD                                      CONCEALED WEAPON  

              
              DRAGONFLY EATING 1                                                  DRAGONFLY EATING2

July 27, 2003  This is how I think it happened: It glided silently through the jungle that was its hunting ground. Among its fellow creatures, it was the apex predator, and it moved its 
delicate, sleek length through the clearings and passages of its domain.  From time to time, lesser creatures would become visible, and many of them were attacked and killed in seconds,
and then chewed to pulp and eaten. Many times, this fearsome predator wouldn't even bother to stop moving as it ate its helpless victims. As a flier, it had no peer, and had evolved a 
fantastic behavior that would allow it to fly at prey (or challenge others of its kind) by flying in a manner that--although it was moving at a terrific speed--would allow it appear immobile to its
intended target.  Since it appeared to be a stationary object, its intended target would ignore it; until it was too late, and then another victim could die. The predator was a Dragonfly--a Green
Darner. Its huge compound eyes covered its entire head, and it could see in almost every direction simultaneously. As it flew through a stand of tall weeds (grass is common for what 
happens next)--perhaps swooping for prey--there was a sudden movement from above and behind.  The dragonfly may have felt a loud buzz, and suddenly it was hit from above, in the thorax,
right between the wings. Immediately after, a sharp spike was thrust into the dragonfly's beautiful hard shell, and it lost control of its wings. It hit the ground, and was already helpless as its 
bodily fluids began to be pulped and sucked out through a single hole in its exoskeleton. The dragonfly was doomed. The Dragonfly had been attacked by a Robber Fly. These are large 
insects that are *also* apex predators. They are also deadly and efficient hunters. However, where the Dragonfly relies on strength and speed, and can fly and attack in the open, the Robber
Fly will often perch on a good spot (like a tall blade of grass) and just watch. When something interesting passes, the Robber Fly launches its surprise attack, and hits its prey in flight. Where
the Dragonfly chews its prey to pulp with its mandibles, the Robber Fly uses piercing mouthparts to suck out juices. The image below (IN ITS CLUTCHES, below) shows the outcome of the 
hunt. I've seen Robber Flies hunting, just as I've described. Often, they just fall to the ground (although it seems they try to brake with their wings) with their prey. I have been trying to get some
good close-ups of this for at least a year, but the insects have always flown off.  This morning, however, one of the volunteers (cool, Allen!) just walked into the visitor center with the Dragonfly
and its killer.  The Robber Fly was attached, eating, and would NOT move.  I snapped a few pictures.  The pair of insects was then left outside, where I was able to get some better close-ups.
  The three pictures below are three views of the same image. The fingers are mine, and you can see the scale. I've cropped in to show the mouthparts where it pierces the thorax.  Later in 
the day, the Dragonfly was still in the garden and was intact, though reasonably empty. Ants had found the carcass, though (lots of ants...FIRE ants. No more pictures. Sorry.). And the Robber
Fly had gone; perhaps to attack another Dragonfly, perhaps to be eaten BY a Dragonfly. 

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                      IN ITS CLUTCHES                                          LLET ME EAT IN PEACE                                            KILLER AND VICTIM                                               NEAT EATER

If you'd like to know more about the park follow these links:

Brazos Bend State Park   The main page.

Brazos Bend State Park Volunteer's Page  The volunteer's main page.
 

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