Oh, the dragonfly. Just like the Horse Apple, I could make a joke and mix a dragon with a fly. I won’t do that though, because dragonflies can’t breathe fire.
A dragonfly is an insect that has large eyes. Their eyes are multifaceted and usually touch. They have two pairs of transparent wings with an elongated body. They have six legs, but don’t walk well.
Dragonflies are predators in the insect world – they eat mosquitoes, flies, bees, ants, and sometimes butterflies. Adult dragonflies are harmless to humans – they will not bite or sting you.
Close up of an orange dragonfly – picture taken by David R. Tribble
Dragonflies lay their eggs in the water. Sometimes the dragonfly will completely submerge themselves into the water to lay their eggs on a good strong surface. Other times a floating leaf or other plant will do.
These eggs will then hatch into nymphs, the larvae stage of their life cycle. Dragonflies actually spend much of their lives as nymphs (up to 5 years!). While in the water, they eat other invertebrates like tadpoles and tiny fish.
Red dragonfly taken by Victor Korniyenko
Once the dragonfly nymph is ready to metamorphose into an adult, it has to climb out of the water where it is exposed to air. It then starts breathing and the skin splits. Out comes a fully grown dragonfly ready to hunt. Even though they have spent as many as 5 years as a nymph, most dragonflies only live in their adult form for 6 months or less.
Dragonfly caught in a spider web. Picture taken by Heather Pitts at Camp El Tesoro.
Here’s a link to a great website that describes the life cycle of the dragonfly: http://www.dragonfly-site.com/dragonfly-life-cycle.html
Fun Fact: The fastest dragonfly ever, the Southern Giant Darner, has been estimated to fly at nearly 60 miles per hour!
Hovering Dragonfly taken by Dieter.
Questions:
- What are characteristics that all insects have in common?
- What is the definition of an invertebrate?
- What does it mean to metamorphose? What other insects go through metamorphosis?
- What does it mean to have multifaceted eyes?
- What are the different parts of the life cycle of the dragonfly?
Leave your answers, more questions, and comments in the comment section. See you next time!
