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The Prey of Adult Dragonflies in Northern Alberta

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Gordon Pritchard
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, University of Alberta, Edmonton

Abstract

The prey of adult dragonflies has been studied by the analysis of gut contents and was found to consist mainly of small Diptera. Most of the prey is very small but large dragonflies, such as aeshnids, occasionally take larger prey, such as caddis flies and other dragonflies. Relatively little diminution in the numbers of adult mosquitoes can be expected to occur as a result of dragonfly predation, because of the different conditions required for flight by dragonflies and mosquitoes.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1964

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