Dragonfly predation by bats

While predation on Odonata by birds, spiders, and other animals is fairly common (e.g. J. DORST, 1974, The life of birds. Vol. I; Columbia Univ. Press, New York; AT. HASSAN, 1977, Odonalologica 6; 1-5) no mention has been found of predation by mammals. For three consecutive evenings (Sept. 3-5, 1978) the little brown bat. Myotis lucifugus LeConte, was observed feeding on Anax junius Drury. On Sept. 3, about 7:20 p.m. EDST, there was a swarm of approximately 200 A. junius flying above waist-high vegetation in two fields separated by a paved road on the Clemson University campus (Clemson, South Carolina, U.S.A.). The flight of the dragonflies ranged in height from 5-10 cm above the vegetation to about 9 m above ground level. The dragonflies were being preyed upon by approximately two dozen M. lucifugus.