Dragonflies are magnificent and graceful creatures. Unlike most bugs they can fly in all directions: forwards, backwards, right, left, up, and even down. Despite their name the Dragonfly is not related to the fly at all. They are actually part of the Odonata order, which also includes Damselflies. The word Odonata also means “tooth-jawed”.
Dragonflies and Damselflies come in all different versions. Throughout the world there are more than 5,000 individual species. In the United States alone the number of different species has numbered to as great as 400.
Dragonflies are often seen near lakes or other bodies of water. They lay their eggs in or near the water.
Young Dragonflies have an appendage on their heads that they use to spear through fish. Dragonflies are predatory animals from birth.
Dragonflies are not born with their wings. They are born as larva. They actually go through a metamorphosis process where they grow their wings. Dragonflies spend most of their time in the larva stage (up to 3 years depending on the species). The winged stage is only for the last couple of weeks. The winged stage is primarily used for mating.
Males are very territorial and tend to stick to one area of a stream or lake. When you see one Dragonfly chasing another, it is usually one male chasing another out of its territory.
Dragonflies will sometimes travel in swarms, which is usually due to weather changes and passages of cold fronts.
Mosquitoes are the main food source for Dragonflies.
Dragonflies have been around since the dinosaur. Like gators they haven’t changed; they have only gotten smaller. The largest Dragonfly fossil ever found had a wingspan of over three feet! This makes it the largest flying insect in known history!
Lots of people are scared of the Dragonfly, but they are only curious and will sometimes fly around a humans face. They cannot bite or sting us; so to humans they are harmless.
Because of their large eyes an adult Dragonfly can see 360 degrees around itself at all times. Dragonflies have over 30,000 lenses in their eyes but cannot see details very well. The human eye has only one lens, but humans can see better than a Dragonfly but only towards the front.
Dragonflies are the fastest of insects. Some of the faster species can get as fast as 30 miles per hour!
There was a myth that Dragonflies could bring dead snakes back to life. From that myth they got the name of “snake doctor”.
From Heather F.
More on dragonflys soon.
