A bad dragonfly?

At first glance this photo might appear to be just an unfortunate monarch butterfly lying dead in the grass. A closer observation shows something going on that might make you unhappy. A green dragonfly is eating the butterfly.

Most people love the beautiful monarch butterfly and know its story of migration and habitat concern. The dragonfly is less known. It is called the common green darner. The common green darner is a native North American insect. It, too, is a migratory insect.

The green darner is a very fast flier. It catches insects from the air. It is big enough to catch butterflies, bring them down and eat them. This scene was photographed Oct. 2 in a pasture. Nature can sometimes seem cruel and uncaring.