damselflies Archives - The National Wildlife Federation Blog

Why Dragonflies Would Make Brilliant Spies

Dani Tinker — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 13:25:55 +0000

Dragonflies are the spies of the natural world. They already have the deceptive cover. They are not dragons. They aren’t even flies. These fascinating creatures have been around for over 350 million years, evolving impressive abilities & sharp senses to take over the world. That may be a bit dramatic, but if I ever need a secret agent, I’m hiring a dragonSPY.

Vision: They Can Always See You

An Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly. National Wildlife Photo Contest entry by Nicholas Thompson.

Have you ever tried to catch a dragonfly? It isn’t easy. This is because dragonflies have huge compound eyes with 30,000 lenses, giving them multi-directional vision. Nearly 360 degrees. Their vision may lack detail, but it is sensitive to movement. Basically, it’s nearly impossible to sneak attack dragonflies. Just ask this frog.

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Agility: They Are Masters of Flight

Dragonflies are like helicopters. Or I suppose it’s more accurate to say helicopters are like dragonflies as helicopters were designed to mimic dragonfly abilities. They can fly in any direction (up, down, forward, backward) or simply hover. All four wings move independently, and can rotate on an axis for incredible flight control. They can make hairpin turns mid-flight, changing direction instantly. Oh, and they can fly upside-down. No biggie.

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Efficiency: They Hunt with Accuracy

A lion might only capture a quarter of the prey it pursues. A dragonfly, however, hunts with up to 95% accuracy! They calculate the velocity of prey to anticipate and make the perfect kill. I’m not a math wizard, but that means only about 5% of prey escape a dragonfly. Doesn’t sound promising for prey.

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Speed: They Fly Extremely Fast

National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Gail Norwood managed to capture this rare in-focus image of a dragonfly in flight.

Dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects in the world, clocking speeds of over 35 mph! If you need context, I struggle on the treadmill at 8 mph.

Recruitment: Agent Training Begins Young

Dragonflies begin their life in the larval stage, as an aquatic nymph. A piece of their mouth extends out forward to snatch up prey. This video calls them out as the ‘sharks of the insect world’. Training is rigorous. Dragonflies spend up to 5 years in the larval stage, and only up to about 5 months as an adult.

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Dragonflies vs. Damselflies

You may be thinking, “Well, how do I recognize a dragonfly, to hire one as a spy?” Luckily we have a blog post that will help you distinguish dragonflies from damselflies.

Attract Dragonflies to Your Garden

If you don’t want to hire a dragonSPY, simply attract them to your yard! A small pond, coupled with the right habitat conditions, will help you attract dragonflies and damselflies to your garden. Then, make your yard an official NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat®!

The post Why Dragonflies Would Make Brilliant Spies appeared first on The National Wildlife Federation Blog.

Photo of the Day: Rainy Day Damselfly

Rachel Faulkner — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:52:43 +0000

A damselfly sitting on East Lake in the rain. Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Photo by Minghui Yuan. 2012 National Wildlife Photo Contest.

This Photo of the Day was donated by a participant in the annual National Wildlife Photo Contest. See more photos or sign up for the 43rd Annual National Wildlife Photo Contest.

The post Photo of the Day: Rainy Day Damselfly appeared first on The National Wildlife Federation Blog.

Damselflies, Dragonflies and Unexpected Discoveries

Kelly Senser — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:12:16 +0000

Damselfly—thin body, eyes set apart, wings held together while perching

I’ve got a new hideout. At least that’s what my son calls it—the natural area by the stream down the street. We had stopped by the other day, hoping to catch a glimpse of some tadpoles. We discovered so much more.

Impromptu Exploration

“Why would someone leave their trash here?” my 7-year-old asked when we arrived, pointing to a plastic container in the water. We fished it out but decided quickly that the litter had a higher purpose: It was a tool for parent and child explorers.

My son was the designated scooper, repeatedly gathering cupfuls of water. Those that included aquatic critters left him gleeful. The tadpoles eluded us (too swift!), but we enjoyed close-up views of water striders and other wee creatures in our hour spent observing. One so fascinated us that we took it home to ID it: a damselfly nymph, according to the books and websites we referenced.

After returning the nymph to the stream to complete the aquatic portion of its life cycle, we paused to admire the adult damselflies and dragonflies as they perched and flew by, and we talked about the differences between them. We also promised each other we’d be back to explore another day—our hideout in plain view. The location isn’t safeguarded, but our memories are.

What’s the Difference? Damselflies vs. Dragonflies

Dragonfly—stout body, eyes close together, wings open while perching

My son knows more about damselflies and dragonflies than I did as a kid. Indeed, it was only a few years ago that I learned the basics of how to tell these insects apart. I have Andy Rabin, a volunteer with Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, to thank for that. While leading a family nature walk, he shared this fairy-tale comparison:

Fictional dragons are large compared to their fair maiden, or damsel, counterparts—and the same goes for these close cousins of the insect world.

Damselflies usually have thin bodies, while dragonflies tend to be stouter.

When perching, damselflies hold their wings together or partially spread, while dragonflies typically rest with their wings open.

Among the other differences: Dragonfly eyes meet at or near the top of the head, while damselfly eyes are set apart.

We regularly see both types of odonates when we’re out and about. Do they visit your neighborhood too? I hope so. They’re lovely to behold.

Find out how to attract these aerial acrobats to your garden.

The post Damselflies, Dragonflies and Unexpected Discoveries appeared first on The National Wildlife Federation Blog.