Garden Observation: Backswimmers Attack a Dragonfly During Egg-Laying

While working in the garden today, I noticed an unusual scene unfolding at the edge of our pond. A dragonfly had come down to lay her eggs, dipping delicately to the water’s surface. As she was focused on her task, a group of backswimmers (small, predatory water bugs that often glide along on their backs) seemed to take an interest.

The dragonfly, preoccupied with laying her eggs, didn’t seem to notice the backswimmers gathering below. In a sudden move, they closed in, managing to drag her beneath the water's surface. The dragonfly, vulnerable in this brief moment, became their prey.

It was a surprising sight to witness in the quiet of the garden. I’ve always known about the life around our pond, but watching this interaction up close was a reminder of the hidden, and sometimes brutal, dynamics in nature that happen all around us.