Dragonfly King of the Hill

Dragonflies love a good perch, and something sticking out of the water can be an excellent spot to look for mates (basically girl-watching) while also seeing if rivals are encroaching on their territory. And while flying back-and-forth on patrol has its advantages, so does saving energy by perching. Back in July I caught an Eastern Pondhawk and a Blue Dasher both trying to use the same perch. Though the Blue Dasher temporarily won this King of the Hill contest, my recollection is that his victory was short-lived.

These dragonflies are quasi-rivals, competing for food but not for mates. Still, my understanding is that inter-species attacks against over blue dragonflies are something that both Eastern Pondhawks and Blue Dashers will do just in case it's a romantic rival. (My guess is that though the Eastern Pondhawk is usually a little bigger, these dragonflies are too close in size for either one to consider the other to be an easy meal. Dragonflies will eat other dragonflies though.)

Females of both species are non-blue, so they're unlikely to be attacked by either of these males. And while the males of these species have some similarities, the females look very different from each other. It's virtually impossible that a male of one species would "proposition" the female of the other.

July 15, 2022 at Sourland Mountain Preserve
Photo 221321625, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

July 15, 2022 at Sourland Mountain Preserve
Photo 221321635, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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