Summary
Before a dragonfly ever flies, it hunts underwater as a fierce larva with a shocking secret weapon. Deep Look reveals the fold-out jaw that shoots forward to snatch prey in the blink of an eye.
Viewer safety
This episode shows a predator eating real prey (a normal part of nature science) -- preview if that might unsettle your class.
Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.
Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
A dragonfly larva has a hinged lower lip that folds under its head and then launches forward to grab prey. This built-in grabbing arm lets a slow-moving larva catch fast tadpoles and insects underwater.
- What is unusual about a baby dragonfly's mouth?
- How does a fold-out jaw help it catch quick prey?
- Why is this structure useful for an underwater hunter?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: larva, hinged, structure, predator.
Try it: Fold your arm, then shoot it out to grab a tissue. Write how a dragonfly larva's jaw snaps forward to catch prey.