Have you ever tried to catch a dragonfly? It is not easy because dragonflies (Odonates) have superb vision. Each one of their two large compound eyes contain 30,000 facets, so they have nearly 360-degree vision with only a tiny blind spot at the back of their head. This means they can detect movements (i.e. see) in almost all directions at the same time. A highly desirable skill for an effective hunter, and to avoid being captured.
I have done some dragonfly catching in the past as part of surveys on the distribution of species in B.C. and Yukon. I learned that you not only have to be fast but also have good balance, so you do not end up falling into the ponds and wetlands where dragonflies like to hang out.
Some wetlands can be floating mats on the surface of deep water. I remember a botany field trip during which we students bounced up and down on a floating mat until we were warned about “breaking through” i.e. bounce too hard and the vegetation can tear apart.
As you plunge into the water, the plant mat can close over the top of you. Without a rescue, you would drown and could be preserved in leathery condition for time immemorial, as there is not enough oxygen to sustain decomposition.
You might be found centuries later just like the so-called bog men who fought with Bonnie Prince Charlie in Scotland, or the iceman emerging from a retreating glacier in northwestern B.C. We might even be able to figure out what you ate by analyzing the preserved contents of your stomach.
Ah, I digressed.
To catch a male dragonfly, you must watch as it patrols its territory at the edge of the water, searching for females, or fending off trespassing males. Wait until it turns away from you and come up quickly behind it with a large V-shaped net on a long pole. Swoosh the net toward the back end of the dragonfly and then very quickly flip the net so that the beastie cannot get out (if you caught it).
Then (assuming you did not fall into the water), gently put a hand into the net to grab both wings and close them together over the dragonfly’s back. It may try to nibble you, but its jaws are not strong enough to break your skin. Also, its claws are prickly but harmless. Place the specimen inside a tiny envelope to take back to the lab to identify.
A couple of my dragonfly-expert friends can identify Odonates in the field as they are moving forward, sideways and backwards at almost 29 kph, but not me.
Alternatively, you can try catching one during its larval stages with a dipnet. The nymphs are entirely aquatic and live on plants and organisms in the water—some for up to six years. If you have never seen one before, you will undoubtedly be surprised, as they look nothing like adult dragonflies but miniature prehistoric dinosaurs.
Recommended: “Introducing Dragonflies of British Columbia and the Yukon” by Robert A. Cannings.
