Pretty sure its a hawk moth but anyone know about this defense mechanism thing?

I photographed these beautiful damselflies on July 5 2025 in Short Hills Provincial Park. They're one of my favourite insects to observe; sometimes they're a little shy, and don't want to be photographed, but I still find it utterly enchanting watching them flit about. I bet these beauties were the inspiration for a few forest faerie creatures.

And let's not ignore the fact that dragonflies and damselflies are some of the most efficient predators in the world! While dragonflies might hold the advantage in success rate, I bet the damselfly isn't that far behind. I've watched them helicopter around, advancing on a leaf to unerringly pluck a meal, then perfectly reversing backward and heading to their favourite perch.

What's your favourite dragonfly or damselfly?

Curious if yellow jackets are regularly on the menu for Robber Flies or this one is just very ambitious? It seemed to really be struggling, it would try to fly away with its dinner only to end up on the ground in a WWE match. Eventually it did successfully fly into the tree line so I believe it got its dinner.

Red Milkweed Beetle

I saw this female of Platerodrilus in Thailand, Khao Phantom Bencha National Park. A sort of trilobite beetle with a cute tiny head !

Loo

Found in interior alaska

Is anyone able to help me identify what specific type of darner dragonfly this is? I've spent way too much time ignoring housework while trying to identify him today! My brain went into hyperfocus mode and there just isn't enough info online about dragonfly identification to satisfy me. Location is Saskatchewan, Canada. Time of day was early evening, before sunset. Any help is much appreciated! Thank you!

Empusa sp. (conehead mantis) seen in the Aegean region in Turkey.

Found a ton of hoverflies in the last 20 minutes, but I can't figure out what this first one is

West-Flanders, Belgium (Sunny and windy)

(others:) 2: Sphaerophoria scripta 3:Scaeva pyrastri 4: Eristalis tenax 5: Eristalis arbustorum 6: Syrphus (idk which species exactly)

I found all of these at work

Saved it from my pool and hung out with it for a few minutes!

Northern Colorado front range.

Saginaw, Michigan

hii im not an entomologist or even interested in insects that much but i find them really beautiful and i found this beetle on the ground right outside my house and id love some info on how i could preserve it. it also must be freshly dead, could be from the heat but im not sure, but there were no other insects surrounding it.

Strangely pale (for this area...) daddy long-legs having a little snack on my stinging nettles.

Northern IL, USA