DragonFly warming up for the first flight

This clip was shot in the morning, when the dragonfly after a nights rest, stretches its wings for the first morning flight. Dragonflies can hover, then rapidly accelerate. They are as fast as all but the fastest birds in level flight at speeds up to 60 miles per hour or more in spite of the greater relative resistance of air to their forward motion. They can even move sideways, dive upward like a rocket, or ascend like a helicopter. They can also beat at 50-90 beats per second. They have the highest ratio of flight muscle to body weight of any animal. Their eyes are the best of any in the insect world. They have large optic brain lobes and 80% of their mental processes are devoted to vision and they can detect color, ultraviolet light, and polarization. 10,000 to 20,000 facets give them a wide field of view. The field is further extended by complicated neck muscles which allow them to tilt their head sideways 180 degrees, back 70 degrees, and down 40 degrees. Giant dragonflies can glide 20 meters at 10 degrees and a velocity of 74 cm per second which is similar to some birds. They capture their prey by clasping them in legs studded with spikes. Prey can not escape by diving away because dragonflies always attack from below.

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YouTube | November 30, 2007

Tags:. .shot. .eyes. .always. .hour. .fastest