Chris Laing spotted this giant flying insect whilst we were walking along the Matukituki track in Mount Aspiring National Park. It was around 10 – 12 cm long. I assume it’s a Dragonfly but am not sure – if you can confirm or provide more information about it, please leave a comment below!
the dragonfly is a bush giant dragon fly (Uropetala carovei). They are
predators, and hunt flies and cicadas and the like. In turn, they are hunted
by birds, like kingfishers (incidently, I am writing my first blog post about
kingfishers). Gigantism in animals is a curious phenomenon often found in
island ecosystems (like NZ). Other examples include kakapo (worlds biggest
parrot, also affectionately known as fat green budgies), giant snails, and
giant weta (of which I have some photos somewhere).
Thanks for the information 🙂