Did you know this about Dragonflies??

Did you know this about Dragonflies?

1. 95% of a dragonflies life is spent in the water (Mick’s Note: this answers the questions that some of you had about the stocking of dragonfly larvae: “If you put them in a pond how do you know they will stick around?” We don’t know that once they hatch, but 95 % of their life will be spent eating mosquito larvae in your pond!)

2. Different types of dragonfly larvae can spend up to two years in the water before hatching into their flying versions.

3. At the end of their larval stage, and prior to hatching into adults, Dragonflies require something to climb out of the water on, such as a pond plant. (Mick’s note: This is why beneficial vegetation in the ponds can be good for the Dragonflies and appearance!)

4. Dragonflies eat numerous pest insects including mosquitoes.

5. Dragonfly larvae, “nymphs,” feed on mosquito larvae, and adult dragonflies feed on adult mosquitoes.

6. Dragonflies eat up to 20% of their weight every day.

7. They are ambush predators and use vegetation to find food.

8. Dragonflies live in anything from slow flowing rivers and canals, to lakes and ponds.

9. They are indicators of good water quality. Dragonflies tell us a great deal about whether wetlands are healthy.

10. They belong to the order Odonata and have large multifaceted eyes, 2 pairs of strong transparent wings and an elongated body.

11. Some towns in Maine have been buying and releasing dragonfly nymphs in local waters for decades and insist the insects help keep local mosquito populations under control.  Check out this order sheet for residents of Scarborough, ME: www.scarborough.me.us/forms/commserv/dragonflies.pdf

12. They can fly 35 MPH, hover and even fly backwards while looking for tasty mosquitoes.

13. You tell Dragonflies apart from Damselflies as they rest with their wings open, and Damselflies rest with their wings folded together and back over their bodies.

14. Dragonflies have existed pretty much unchanged for over 300 million years.

15. Dragonflies look like scary bitters but they are only dangerous to mosquitoes.