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Get smart curated videos delivered to your inbox. Twitter Instagram. They typically stay close to water; most species of dragonfly spend the majority of their life underwater or close to the surface of the water. Depending on the species, dragonflies prefer ponds, marshes, or streams. Dragonflies are known for being picky about their habitats. If you see a dragonfly near a body of water, the water is probably pretty clean.
The head on a dragonfly is the shortest part of its body, and has two short antennae. The total body of a dragonfly is inches in length. Dragonflies are also notable for their eyes. Dragonfly eyes are separate on the sides of the head, and come together on the top of the head. Dragonflies have compound eyes, and have more color-proteins than humans. This means that they see the world like a mosaic with a million tiny pictures. On the thorax, dragonflies have two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs.
Dragonflies are sturdy insects, as are their wings. The wings are connected to the body via a strong muscle , which allows the dragonfly to fly long distances at a high speed. So when a dragonfly lands, their wings stay horizontal to their bodies. The life cycle of the dragonfly varies depending on the species, but most dragonflies spend the majority of their lives as nymphs, or baby dragonflies that live below the water. Dragonflies lay hundreds to thousands of eggs.
The length of time it takes for a dragonfly egg to hatch depends on the species. Some eggs can hatch within a few days of being laid by the dragonfly, and others take a several weeks. Depending on the species, a dragonfly can live in the water as a nymph for up to five years.
As nymphs, the dragonfly molts several times under the water. Molting is a process in which an insect sheds its exoskeleton to make room for new growth. The nymph eventually makes its way to the surface, where it stays and waits for its respiratory system to adjust to the air.
You can learn more about the larvae stage in the video below. Relatively few insects inhabit the ocean, perhaps because they have trouble surviving in saltwater.
That doesn't seem to bother some dragonflies, however. Certain species, like the seaside dragonlet Erythrodiplax berenicei can even produce offspring in environments saltier than typical seawater. Indeed, the seaside dragonlet is a stand-out species because its habitat consists of salt marshes, mangroves, and saline lakes. It's the only dragonfly species in North America but not in the world with a range that's restricted to salty habitats.
Dragonflies need protection from the dangers humans have created, from pollution to habitat loss. Thankfully, there are sanctuaries around the world. The United Kingdom got its first dragonfly sanctuary, the Dragonfly Center, in Dragonfly enthusiasts also can visit a sanctuary in the southwestern United States. The Dragonfly Sanctuary Pond in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the first sanctuary pond in the country and home to an amazing diversity of dragonfly and damselfly species.
Across the Pacific, enthusiasts can enjoy these odonates in one of several wildlife sanctuaries in Japan created to protect dragonfly habitats and the diversity of the species. The dragonfly does an amazing job of helping humans by controlling populations of pest insects, especially those that bug us most, such as mosquitoes and biting flies. A single dragonfly can reportedly eat anywhere from 30 to hundreds of mosquitoes per day. They also inspire us to create new technology — from drones to artificial visual systems — based on their incredible skills at flight and vision.
The least we humans can do to return the favor is support the conservation of their habitats so they can continue on for another million years. Troast, Daniel et al. Public Library Of Science Plos , doi Hedlund, Johanna S. Super sight: Dragonflies can detect up to 30 different vision pigments. Their massive globular eyes should have been a clue.
This is thanks to three different types of light-sensitive proteins in our eyes, called opsins.
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