About dragonflies...

Dragonflies have four wings and, unlike some other insects, can use them independently to hover, fly or glide in the direction they wish to travel. Tiny bumps on their wings help dragonflies remain stable, even in high winds, as they float around the wetlands. Dragonflies eat smaller insects, such as gnats, flies and mosquitoes, they eat them at a quick pace: a single dragonfly can eat dozens or even hundreds of mosquitoes each day. A dragonfly’s eyes cover the majority of its head, and can see in multiple directions at the same time: the insect can look forward, backward, and from side to side without moving its eyes. Its wide range of vision makes the dragonfly one of the best hunters in the insect world. Some studies have shown that dragonflies catch nearly 95 percent of the prey they hunt – that’s an amazing score! Great vision and stable flying also help dragonflies avoid potential predators like frogs, ducks, toads and fish.

See my interactive lesson, Wind!

Meet the dragonfly...

"Oh, hullo!
I’m so sorry to hover, but I’d love to chat before dashing off to my next meal.  Don't you love my wings and the way I can stay in  one place when I am in the air?  Just a few weeks ago, I didn't have wings.  I was nothing but larva - a tiny, flightless bug in a pond.  After several molting stages, I've sprouted wings and can get around much more easily!

Even though I can fly anywhere, I love to hang around my pond, especially around meal times. I'm filling my plate with mayflies and mosquito larvae. You may not have the same tastes, but you can thank me for keeping those nasty pests out of your hair! I can really pack 'em in, too! I can eat hundreds of mosquitoes each and every day.

But while I'm getting my fill of those tasty treats, I keep a vigilant, bug-eyed watch out for predators of my own! Toads, newts, fish - oh, everyone wants a piece of me! The surface of my pond looks smooth and calm, but dangers lurk everywhere. (Gasp) What's that I spy with my wide-ranging eye? A frog?! I'm off!"