Predation in the pond!

Firstly I must appologise, I did origionally say I would blip churches during Holy week, but the weather is so amazing and conducive with insect macro photography I think I have to stick with that - sorry Historian31 :-(
I went to Woods mill today, the HQ of Sussex Wildlife Trust, I decided I would go pond dipping as I had found some really good finds last year and this year I have borrowed some brand new glass beakers from work to act as little aquariums to view and photograph things in.
This mean and nasty looking beastie is a Great Diving beetle Dytiscus marginalis larva.
When we pulled it out of the pond it was on it's own but immediately we put it in the bowl with the Water hog louse Asellus aquaticus it rushed over and started attacking it with it's massive jaws.. the poor hog louse didn't stand a chance!!! :-(
Water hog lice as detritus feeders, eating decaying organic matter at the bottom of the pond. They are common throughout Britain, and closely related to terrestrial woodlice. The Great diving beetle larvae on the other hand are voracious preditors and when fully grown can reach 6cm (2-4 inches ) in length and feed on small fish! As you can see they have impressive jaws and can inflict a nasty bite! especially if they are big. Luckily this was a tiny one, and I picked it up in a little scoop!
It was a real pleasure to hold up my beaker and just watch all this drama unfold in front of me - Wow!!!
I also photographed a male and female palmate newt using the same method, they have such sweet faces!
I saw a large red damselfly too, (which legged it before I had chance to get a shot) it was my first damselfly this season so I was well pleased!