The Dragonfly Gets Around Very Fast

The dragonfly name comes from their fierce jaws which they use to catch prey. There are roughly 3,000 species of aerial predatory insects known as dragonflies, most commonly found near freshwater habitats throughout the world. Dragonflies are characterized by their long, slender bodies, two pairs of large, transparent wings, and large compound eyes that cover most of their head. They are typically brightly colored with patterns of blue, green, yellow, and red. Dragonflies have a more powerful build and are generally stronger fliers than damselflies. 

Dragonflies are carnivorous, feeding on smaller insects like mosquitoes, flies, and butterflies. They’re known for their impressive flying abilities, including their speed and agility. Their ability to maneuver in many directions makes them able to out-fly their prey. The life cycle of a dragonfly begins as an egg laid in or near water. After hatching, the larvae, also known as nymphs, live in the water and feed on other aquatic organisms. After several molts, the nymphs climb out of the water and metamorphose into adults, a process that can take several years. Adult dragonflies only live for a few months, during which time they mate and lay eggs, starting the cycle anew.

 Dragonflies are not actually a fly even though they both have six legs and three body parts, head, thorax, and abdomen. The main difference between them is that flies only have two wings whereas dragonflies have four wings. Dragonflies are sometimes confused with damselflies. Even though they are both members of the same order, they have slight differences whereby when resting, damselflies hold their wings together, a dragonfly holds its wings horizontally or slightly down and forward and their hindwings are broader near the base. The eyes on a damselfly are separated while in most dragonflies the eyes touch.

Dragonflies can beat each pair of wings together or separately and their rear wings can be out of phase with the front wings. Their wing beat around 50 – 90 beats per second. Dragonflies also have the advantage of excellent eyesight. Each of their two large eyes is made up of thousands of six-sided units. Together, these smaller eyes enable a dragonfly to detect even the slightest movement. They have large optic brain lobes and 80% of their mental processes are devoted to vision where they can detect color, ultraviolet light, and polarization. Another amazing fact is that they breathe through spiracles which are tiny holes located on their abdomen. And last but not least, dragonflies have been around since before the dinosaurs. Ancient dragonflies lived 320 million years ago and had a wingspan of 8 inches. Other than being smaller, modern-day dragonflies don’t look much different than their ancestors.