About the Cover…

Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus) Photo courtesy Betsy Cross

Betsy Cross

Predator and prey. Two species—do you recognize them?

We don’t always think of dragonflies as predators. And we don’t think of monarch butterflies as tasty prey. Even adult monarchs retain the cardenolides they consume as caterpillars on the milkweed, their host plant, making them unpalatable and toxic to predators. But this dragonfly didn't seem to mind.

Aptly named, the Dragonhunter is a voracious predator of large insects, including dragonflies and butterflies, such as swallowtails and monarchs. To avoid the monarch’s toxic cardenolide compounds, it eats the thorax and abdomen first. (Wikipedia).

The Dragonhunter is the largest North American clubtail dragonfly, measuring about 3.3 inches in length. It is distinguished by its black-and-yellow body and green eyes. Its preferred habitats include forested streams and rivers.

This photo was taken at Jacob’s Well Natural Area in Wimberley, Texas, on the weir at the Well’s edge, July 8, 2023.

For more about dragonflies, see Dragonfly Days Are Here and About the Cover… in the July 2023 Hays Humm, and Dragonflies…On the Fly in the September 2022 Hays Humm.