The Insane Biology of: The Dragonfly

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Published 2021-08-28
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Twitter: twitter.com/stephaniesamma
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Credits:
Narrator/Writer: Stephanie Sammann
Writer: Inés Dawson
Editor: Dylan Hennessy (www.behance.net/dylanhennessy1)
Illustrator/Animator: Kirtan Patel (kpatart.com/illustrations)
Animator: Mike Ridolfi (www.moboxgraphics.com/)
Sound: Graham Haerther (haerther.net/)
Thumbnail: Simon Buckmaster (twitter.com/forgottentowel)
Producer: Brian McManus (youtube.com/c/realengineering)

Imagery courtesy of Getty Images

Music:

Youth by ANBR
Waiting by Brianna Tam
Spearhead by Evgeny Bardyuzha
Seasons by ANBR
Intrepid by Brianna Tam
A Tender Heart by The David Roy Collective
A Contrite Spirit by The David Roy Collective

References:

[1] ​​onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-048…
[2] sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v…
[3] digitalcommons.esf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article….
[4] link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00170175
[5] www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0003…
[6] journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/215/6/903/1119…
[7] bechly.lima-city.de/Grzimek.pdf
[8] www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124…
[9] journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0954406219861…
[10] link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00693547
[11] www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002…
[12] www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221…
[13] www.nature.com/articles/nature14078
[14] www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101029132924…
[15] news.ucsc.edu/2012/06/giant-insects.html

All Comments (21)
  • @livedeliciously
    I remember being only able to see content like this on the Discovery Channel. It's crazy that I can watch content like this (arguably waaay better) at anytime and not being glued to my TV. Brilliant.
  • I use to be in the army. I can remember in training, the endless patrols through the woods.
    But the dragonflies were our friends. You’d see them gliding back and forth just over our heads, catching the mosquitoes which swarmed around us.
    It was impossible for the dragonflies to get all the mosquitoes, but it was a comfort to know we had allies out there in those woods.
  • @derskalde4973
    I remember an article about this a few years ago. There they explained that dragonflys also can choose where they are actively looking, like, still have 360° vision, but concentrating on one point in their vision. And that you can actually see where a dragonfly is looking, because their eyes will absorb more light there, creating darker spots on the eyes.
  • @cshepard09
    The idea of dragon flies and hawks competing against each other is crazy. One that big would be terrifying
  • @zachheilman784
    The counter-balance to deal with aerodynamic flutter is some really incredible biomechanics. I've seen videos of flutter being tested on airplanes and it's no joke, that can quickly ruin your day.
  • @frogsicleyt
    Dragonflies are by far my favorite insect. Not only are they badass, but they are so friendly as well! Whenever I see one, I can always gently slide my finger into it, and hold it on my finger. I’m sure they would make great pets if they didn’t thrive better in the wild. And they take care of pesky bugs like mosquitoes, and are beautiful in coloration!

    I can find literally no flaws. They are really the perfect creature.
  • @dhck999
    These aerial aces saved me when I was camping near the Yukon River. Once there was a thousand mosquitoes, then out of nowhere there were thousands of dragonflies. It was a treat to watch them catch mosquitoes, very beautiful to watch. Extremely agile and nimble in the air.
  • @speedy01247
    I like how dragonflies literally have different flight modes, including a hover, turbo, reverse, glide and agile mode.
  • @zen8704
    "direct flight muscles able to tug on each wing individually"
    So dragonflies are all wheel drive?
  • @bobhoye5951
    Outstanding review. As a geologist I spent most of a summer on a lake north of Yellowknife, NWT, Canada. Taking some time of on a Sunday I watched a dragonfly catch a horsefly in mid flight. It then settled on a thin branch and the first it did was strip off the wings that fluttered to the ground. Unable to escape, the horsefly provided a leisurely lunch. The crunching was audible.
  • @erlybird3122
    Has Stephanie Sammann ever received any awards for narration? I see a lot of videos and am often put off by the narration of people who don't seem to understand what a good cadence is. I really like Stephanie's overall delivery.
  • @donloughrey1615
    I am 70yrs. old and I have viewed a lot of documentaries. This is among the best that have seen. From the videography to the science to the wonderful presentation by a young woman with a great voice who seems to actually enjoy the subject that she is presenting. Thanks Real Science.
    4stars from me.
  • @BlindSniperz
    Early morning fishing and being surrounded by hundreds of gnats. Dragonfly's are a welcome sight hovering around your boat, snatching up gnat after gnat mid-air. Such a cool sight. At times, they'll even chase your lure while casting it out.
  • @addy4542
    I had a dragonfly once get stuck in my hair, after very carefully untangling him he sat in my shoulder and even moved to my hand for a solid 2 minutes before flying away. One of the reasons their my favorite insect
  • Putting aside the fact of their unquestionable and devastating killer instincts, I have always been fascinated by their sheer beauty and design. Mind blowing! Nature has done it all! This is truly the place where the word "awe" is completely applicable. One can only stand in awe of such a creation and smile.
  • @attabooii
    I'm a grad student studying entomology and I remember as an undergrad, when I was taking the intro entomology series, I spent hours at this river trying to catch a dragonfly for my collection for class. I finally spotted one flying slower than all the others. After chasing it for a bit, I finally caught it and realized the reason it was flying so slow was cause it was eating another dragonfly 😅
  • A dragonlly landed on my paddle on my last kayaking adventure. I slowly pulled it closer to me so I could study up close. Such beautifully evolved creatures. Gorgeous. And when it took off, it kind of just hovered with amazing control, as if showing off. It was the highlight of my trip.
  • Dragonflies (in German: Libellen)
    always have fascinated me; and now
    I've found some incredibly detailed
    footage which let me learn more
    about these outstanding insects
    in a few minutes than I knew all the
    time before! And once again I can't
    appreciate enough the genius
    of nature -- it is still the best
    constructor and artist!
  • I watched this video because I recently noticed how crazy their flying skills are. They turn angles on a dime and sometimes stop and hover like a helicopter. I was truly amazed and I had to do some research on them. I started pondering if maybe one day we could make an aircraft that can move like a dragonfly. It would be revolutionary to have a plane that can travel like that.