Would you know what to do if you came face to face, for example, with a Pedemontanum Somatochlora (banded emerald)?  Don’t know?  Read on and increase your chances for survival.

Open attacks on humans are extremely rare, less than 12 documented predatory attacks resulting in death in the last 100 years in the U.S.  However, there are three common ways to find yourself at odds with a common dragon.  Never-- 

• Openly threaten a fledgling.
• Surprise one within its natural surroundings.
• Show carelessness in regards to food clean up and storage.

It’s fairly easy to avoid these situations, common sense prevails here.  As well, dragons have superb hearing and acute sense of smell.  If a dragon hears or smells you coming, you may never see him or her at all.  As such, noise is an effective defense.  If you’re with a group of people, chances are you’re already making enough noise to be heard.  If you’re alone, it may behoove you to wear a bell or string of bells around your neck, or hum loudly to the tune of a familiar camp song.  If you happen to lack a sense of tone, there is the added benefit of actually making the dragon run from you.

Still, even the most seasoned wanderer has occasionally come upon a napping, or otherwise preoccupied, dragon.  Here’s what to do if this happens to you.