When most people think of predators, they picture lions, sharks, or eagles, not dragonflies. Yet these shimmering aerial hunters are among Earth’s most efficient killers, boasting a 95 to 97 percent hunting success rate. In the Fall 2025 issue of Iowa Outdoors magazine, readers can marvel at these extraordinary insects through the lens of Dr. Greg Courtney, Iowa State University entomologist, whose striking photographs reveal the grace and precision of one of nature’s oldest and most lethal species.
Courtney, a professor in ISU’s Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology (PPEM), contributed both his photography and expertise to the feature article “Flight of the Dragons.” His images capture dragonflies in their most dynamic moments: emerging from nymphal skins, hovering above still waters, and demonstrating the predatory adaptations that make them unmatched in flight.
“Underwater, nymphs of dragonflies and damselflies are also skilled carnivores,” said Courtney. “The way they feed is unique. Their labium, the lower lip, is like none other in the insect world. It’s prehensile, able to shoot out under pressure to grab prey before pulling it to their mouthparts.”
Courtney’s fascination extends below the surface. His research focuses on the aquatic stages of insects, especially those inhabiting Iowa’s rivers and streams. He has documented rare species such as Westfall’s Snaketail, once thought to live only in Missouri’s Ozarks, in both the Boone River and the South Skunk River in Story County.
“It’s really interesting because it occurs in coarse-bottom streams and the nymphs are in riffles (a shallow place in the river where water flows quickly across rocks),” Courtney explained. “They’re highly susceptible to drought. There were a couple of seasons where they completely disappeared from the Skunk because the riffles dried up.”
Courtney’s work reminds us that these seemingly delicate creatures are powerful indicators of environmental health. Dragonflies spend most of their lives underwater as nymphs, up to four years in Iowa species, before emerging as the glittering adults we see darting above ponds and wetlands. Their presence signals clean water and thriving ecosystems.
In Iowa Outdoors, Courtney’s vivid photos accompany insights from experts who explore how dragonflies’ flight patterns inspire engineers and even military researchers seeking to model next-generation aerial technologies. But for Courtney, their beauty and complexity are reward enough.
Through his lens, Iowans are invited to see dragonflies not just as summer companions but as symbols of resilience, precision, and natural wonder.
“They are pretty voracious predators,” Courtney said, “but they’re also some of the most fascinating and beautiful creatures you’ll ever encounter if you take the time to look.”
