When I first caught sight of this male Blue Dasher dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis) in the air, I thought that he had captured some sort of prey. I was wrong, yet I was also right.
The male dragonfly’s prey was a female dragonfly and they were in a mating position that I later learned is known as the wheel. The sheer flexibility and athleticism involved seems worthy of the Cirque de Soleil. Apparently it starts when the male grabs the female’s head with special claspers at the tip of his abdomen.
I came across a fascinating article by Jennifer Ackerman in National Geographic Magazine entitled Dragonflies Strange Love that provides some amazing insights into the mating habits of dragonflies. One sentence really sums up the process, “Grab, shake, bite, puncture, punch—that’s just the courtship ritual of these dazzling aerobats.”
The male dragonfly seems to be driven by an incredibly strong biological drive. I can almost hear one of them repeating the words of the Tina Turner song, “What’s love got to do with it?”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
Oh my🙈🙊….so interesting and a beautiful pic
That’s quite a shot! Beautiful.
A bit unusual, but it’s an amazing part of the natural world.
Dragonflies and Tina Turner – now there’s a picture to conjure with!
Great photo and thanks for the link.
Wonderful poem and thanks for putting in the link.
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