CatchingPrey

Asanymph,thesouthernhawkerhasaspecialwayofcatchingprey.Itslowerliphasahingeatitsbaseandanotherabouthalfwayalongitslength.Thisarrangementallowsthenymphtofoldthelipbeneathitsheadwhennothunting.Whenitseesprey,thelipshootsforward,stabbingthepreywithsharp spines. 


Thelipcanmoveinlessthan
25milliseconds.It’ssofast,thenymphcanstrikethepreyseveraltimesbeforeitregisterswhatishappening.Oncethepreyisimpaled,thenymphpullsitslowerlipbacktowarditsjaws.Thejawsarestrongandtoughandlinedwithteeth.Theycutthepreyinto pieces.

Asthenympheats,itgrows.Andasitgrows,itmustmolt.Anymphmaymoltasmanyaseighttimes,growingslightlylargereachtime.Theperiodofgrowthbetweeneachmoltiscalledaninstar.Lifeasanymphislong.Thesouthernhawkeronlyspendsafewweeksasanegg,butitwillspendseveralyearsasa nymph.

Anymphshootsoutitslowerliptocatch prey.

Oncecaught,
thepreyisquicklydevouredbythe nymph.

fish

AFinalChange

Duringthefinalstagesofmetamorphosis,thesouthernhawker’slowerlipcontracts.Itcannolongerhuntandeat.Itneedstomoltonelasttime.Toprotectitselffrompredators,thesouthernhawkerwaitsuntilnightbeforeleavingthewater.Itclimbsupthestemofawaterplant.Whathappensnextalmostdefies description. 


Thesouthernhawkerpumpsfluidsintoitsbody.Itstartstoswell.Theexoskeletonsplitsalonglinesofweaknessontheheadandthorax.Itthrustsitsbodythroughthisnewlyformedgap,anditsheadand
legs follow.


Itgingerlystepsoutofitsoldskinandrests.Thenitslowlypumpsfluidsintothehollowveinsofitsnewwingsto
expand them.

FromLarvatoAdult

Takeacloserlookatthejourneyofa dragonfly:

1

Emerging Nymph

Thelarvaleavesitseggandentersthewaterasa nymph.

2

Instar Stages

Asthenymphgrows,itmoltsandformsanewexoskeleton.Itwillmolt
several times.

3

Final Molt

Thenymphleavesthewaterasitsexoskeletonsplitsonelast time.

4

Emerging Dragonfly

Thedragonflyclimbsoutofitsexoskeletonandwaitsforitsnewskinto harden.

5

Readyfor Flight

Theadultdragonflyunfurlsitswingsinthesunlightbeforetakingitsfirst flight.