- Another close encounter of the natural kind -
reported by The Old Redhead *
One pretty day, while standing on our lake-cabin deck, I was again wondering what to do about the weed patch we commonly refer to as 'the lawn' when I noticed a small swarm of gnats pirouetting in the sunshine.
I normally wouldn't give much attention to a small swarm of gnats, since I'm a farm boy, but this one was different because just below it there was a dragonfly slowly going back and forth.
As I watched, the dragonfly suddenly changed direction and flew right into the swarm, flying this way and that, up and down, forwards and backwards, upside down and spinning on its tail, showing absolutely astounding aerial acrobatics. There was no way to tell if the dragonfly was eating or just killing; all you could tell is that the ranks of the gnats were getting thinner.
Twice, new dragonflies came to join in, but the first one chased them away and resumed its berserk decimation of the swarm. When it was all over, the dragonfly hovered for a couple of seconds and then flew off to do whatever dragonflies do.
It happened quickly -- surely not more than four or five minutes -- and I returned to peaceful contemplation of the weeds.
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* Source: The Bulletin Board, St. Paul Pioneer Press (07/19/2014)
http://www.twincities.com/bulletinboard/
