Male dragonflies clasp females to ensure paternity of offspring

The idiom "dragonflies skimming the surface of the water" in Chinese means scratching the surface without delving into it. But this is part of a female dragonfly's life: When depositing eggs, females dip part of their body into the water.

A pair of globe skimmer dragonflies. The male grips the female to ensure she lays her eggs in the water before another male can attempt to mate with her. The picture was taken by Terry Townshend at Guanting Reservoir in Beijing, August 14, 2020.

A pair of globe skimmer dragonflies. The picture was taken by Terry Townshend on August 14, 2020.

The female may refuse to give birth if she doesn't like the male. In this instance, the male remains attached to the female, flying in tandem, to ensure she deposits the eggs before another male can attempt to mate with her.

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