My favorite insects: Dragonflies

[Marlin781]

I was about to fire up the mower today for the last cut of the season when this large dragonfly landed just a couple feet from me. I knew what species it was right away as the Shadow Darner is the last species to emerge each year and the only one that can be seen flying as late as mid November.

There is nothing not to like about dragonflies. They're harmless to humans, come in lots of cool colors and patterns and both the larvae and adults prey on mosquitos. Bugs are cool!

 

[hkshooter]

They are a fascinating critter for sure.

 

[L Haney]

I can't count the number of times they've landed on the tip of a fishing rod I was holding. Sometimes I'll pull it back to get a better look. They usually just sit there during this.

 

[12v71]

Late June, early August we get hundreds of them of all descriptions flitting around the yard. There's a small lake a 1/4 mile away so I imagine it's hatch and breed time. When I was a kid we would go down to the lake and watch the hellgrammites eat minnows. Pretty vicious critters.

 

[Abominog]

The large green darner, Anax junius, of the east coast has two populations- one that is resident , and one that migrates south and returns. The nymphs of the two share the same ponds, but the eggs- and later the adults- emerge at different times. They are current the same species, but in 10,000 years they may not be.

 

[Marlin781]

The large green darner, Anax junius, of the east coast has two populations- one that is resident , and one that migrates south and returns. The nymphs of the two share the same ponds, but the eggs- and later the adults- emerge at different times. They are current the same species, but in 10,000 years they may not be.

Interesting. I didn't know that! I have two rare to uncommon species that regularly bred in my woodland stream. The Arrowhead spiketail and the Mocha emerald. The latter one is listed in PA as "critically imperiled". A couple years ago the invasive Emerald ashborer went through my area and took out about 30% of my streamside forest canopy. Both those dragonfly species breed in small shaded woodland streams but now the habitat has changed and I didn't see either species this year.

 

[L Haney]

You guys remind me of my dad, Gordon. He was very observant of the things most people didn't even notice. He got me started doing that on our fishing trips which were at least once a week. I got to spend more time with my dad growing up than any of my five siblings. I'm very thankful for that. When he died, it was like a library burned down.

 

[Story]

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[easttex]

They are a fascinating critter for sure.

And absolutely voracious predators of mosquitoes, flies, and any other flying insect they can find. Their larvae are voracious aquatic predators in their own right.

 

[FIANNAFAL]

Sacred to Cherokee people. Listen to them and they will tell the future

 

[357ross]

They eat mosquitoes and that's enough to earn them a place of honor as far as I'm concerned. Used to have a lot of them here years ago but they've all but vanished, and it ain't due to lack of mosquitoes.

 

[Abominog]

Despite all our technology we cannot replicate their flight.

 

[Invictus77]

You guys remind me of my dad, Gordon. He was very observant of the things most people didn't even notice. He got me started doing that on our fishing trips which were at least once a week. I got to spend more time with my dad growing up than any of my five siblings. I'm very thankful for that. When he died, it was like a library burned down.

My Dad and my Mom, 86 and 84, will be here tomorrow for lunch. They will drive here to my home, 30 miles from their home, and will do so well.

I cannot say how long that will continue, but when it happens they cannot, "a library burned down", is an excellent phrase that I will use in the eulogy.

If I can be half as active as my Dad at 86 (if I live that long), I will be amazed. Mom who defies all logic walking around alive today is amazing now.

 

[Marlin781]

And absolutely voracious predators of mosquitoes, flies, and any other flying insect they can find. Their larvae are voracious aquatic predators in their own right.

What was interesting about this one was I observed it devour what appeared to be a spider before I had a chance to pull my camera out. That may be one strategy by which this particular dragonfly species can thrive so late in the season when flying prey insects are getting much scarcer.

 

[1feral1]

I took this photo of a huge dragonfly on the outside of our former Iraqi Republican Guard barracks in October of 2006. They are a unique creature which has always intrigued me since my days as a kid growing up in Saskatchewan.

In 2009 for my 50th birthday a well-known artist, named Cindy on Bribie Island in Australia was commissioned to paint me the 'Bagdad Dragonfly' thru her eyes as my birthday gift from friends. Talk about unique, and yes her fav insect is also the dragon fly.

The painting is in our living room above the couch. Size framed is about 24/24in.

 

[rojogrande2]

I was about to fire up the mower today for the last cut of the season when this large dragonfly landed just a couple feet from me. I knew what species it was right away as the Shadow Darner is the last species to emerge each year and the only one that can be seen flying as late as mid November.

There is nothing not to like about dragonflies. They're harmless to humans, come in lots of cool colors and patterns and both the larvae and adults prey on mosquitos. Bugs are cool! View attachment 356486

Where we lived out in western Washington, the ground was full of decaying wood. Termites were everywhere, and there were huge breeding swarms of giant flying termites in the spring. It was great entertainment to watch the dragonflies zipping through the flying termite swarm, and the shower of termite wings drifting lazily down.

 

[55bird]

I saw this one in Florida

 

[Tak]

had those big blue and green ones where we used to be in Illinois. We were not too far from a little marshland area, so probably a good breeding ground for them.

The would literally circle our little back yard on patrol hunting down mosquitos or whatever...make passes all around for a few minutes. Then move on to another yard and do the same.

 

[gunplumber]

Have lots of them on the field here, but they are much smaller than the ones I saw in PA and CA. And no, not damsel flies. Their life cycle is amazing.

 

[hardass]

We get these orange ones down here in the summer
Robber flies like the green ones

 

[Jaxxas]

I was about to fire up the mower today for the last cut of the season when this large dragonfly landed just a couple feet from me. I knew what species it was right away as the Shadow Darner is the last species to emerge each year and the only one that can be seen flying as late as mid November.

There is nothing not to like about dragonflies.

How do they taste? Asking as a potential future consumer.....

 

[Paris1]

I saw one in mid to late March in NE Wisconsin. Snow everywhere but with swamps beginning to thaw out. I kind of felt bad but I figured there must be something for it to eat or Mother Nature wouldn't have hatched it out. Of course there are some insects and other arthropods that are active during winter but not many that fly around as dragon fly food.

 

[Marlin781]

How do they taste? Asking as a potential future consumer.....

Can't tell you but I'll give you a tip for catching them with a net. You need to sweep at them from their 6 o'clock position. If they see it coming from the front they'll just dance right over it...very agile they are.

 

[J308]

Where we lived out in western Washington, the ground was full of decaying wood. Termites were everywhere, and there were huge breeding swarms of giant flying termites in the spring. It was great entertainment to watch the dragonflies zipping through the flying termite swarm, and the shower of termite wings drifting lazily down.

Yup, dragonflies are the coolest. We watch 'em taking out the flying termites, I saw one do a classic Immelmann to dive on one and you could hear the impact.. and just like you said, nothing but termite wings floating down.

 

[hardass]

This is the way to catch them. Point your finger at them and start making a slow circle about a foot in diameter , keep circling and move closer and make smaller circles. Their head will start bobbing ,watching your finger, like they go into a trance. You can get right up to them and grab a wing when you pass near it. GO SLOW.