Damsel eat damsel

Erland R.N. · Post by **Erland R.N.** » Sun May 06, 2007 11:18 am

A female Common Bluetail (Ischnura elegans) attacked a teneral male Variable Bluet (Coenagrion pulchellum), and captured it. A photographer was standing close by on the matt of floating vegetation, ready with his camera.

The attacker bit of the wings of the prey.

The prey seperated in halfs.

The prey after the attacker flew of to a nearby straw, probably scared of by me. The prey hided from me behind the straw, but with a hand from the other side, I could make it to rotate around, so to give me a good angle.

Erland

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sun May 06, 2007 12:14 pm

WoW!!! Fantastic photos Erland.

Talk about getting your butt chewed off!

Well, they look a bit oversharp to me but thats just me and I really like the way the background flows with the wings of the attacker in the first image. Seems to give the image a sense of motion.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Sun May 06, 2007 1:38 pm

An extraordinary (if somewhat macabre) pictorial narrative Erland. These shots go well beyond simply illustrating the form, colours and markings of a particular lifeform. They provide a interesting (and possibly unique) visual document to an aspect of inter-species behaviour that is both fascinating and shocking at the same time.

To be honest I found it impossible not to empathise with that sad little face in pic3. Yes, I'll put my hands up - guilty of anthropomorphism - I blame a childhood of watching (and believing in) Walt Disney films

.

Three excellent photos Irwin - well done.

Bruce

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:45 am

Very gruesome and well done Erland. Being at the right place at the right time and catching it camera

Erland R.N. · Post by **Erland R.N.** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:38 am

Thank you for comments. I do really like to capture insect behaviour in pictures, but to be honest this was a bit too much when the prey sat there with no wings or abdomen left.

Ken I don't think I sharpened those more than usual, but the hairs on the insect looks very over-sharp. Often when I apply sharpening I look at the hairs, but maybe I got too excited.

cheers Erland

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon May 07, 2007 1:51 pm

Could just be my monitor too Erland.l TFT's (thin film transistors) just seem to go crazy on my monitor when I sharpen an image, especially if the camera is set to a high sharpening mode also. Nothing to be overly concerned about there though, Erland, just a casual observation. As for being caught up in the moment or excited, who wouldn't