Everything about Dragonfly totally explained
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Anisoptera redirects here. For the genus of trees see Anisoptera (tree).
A
dragonfly is a type of
insect belonging to the order
Odonata, the suborder
Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder
Anisoptera. It is characterized by large
multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent
wings, and an elongated body.
Dragonflies typically eat
mosquitoes,
midges, and other small insects like
flies,
bees, and
butterflies. They are therefore valued as
predators, since they help control populations of harmful insects. Dragonflies are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and
wetlands because their
larvae, known as "
nymphs", are aquatic. Dragonflies don't normally bite or sting humans, though that'll bite in order to escape, if grasped by the
abdomen.
Dragonfly characteristics
Male Dragonflies are capable of hovering followed by rapid acceleration. Some nymphs even hunt on land, an aptitude which could easily have been more common in ancient times when terrestrial predators were clumsier. Giant dragonflies can glide for 20 meters at 10 degrees and a speed of 74 cm per second which is similar to some birds. They capture their prey by clasping them in legs studded with spikes. Prey can't escape by diving away because dragonflies always attack from below.
Life Cycle
Female dragonflies lay
eggs in or near water, often on floating or
emergent plants. When laying eggs, some species will submerge themselves completely in order to lay their eggs on a suitable surface. Most of a dragonfly's life is spent in the
larval, (
naiad, that is, nymph) form, beneath the water's surface, using internal
gills to breathe, and using extendable
jaws to catch other
invertebrates or even
vertebrates such as
tadpoles and
fish. The larval stage of large dragonflies may last as long as five years. In smaller species, this stage may last between two months and three years. When the larva is ready to
metamorphose into an adult, it climbs up a
reed or other emergent plant at night. Exposure to air causes the larva to begin breathing. The skin splits at a weak spot behind the head and the adult dragonfly crawls out of its old larval skin, waits for the sun to rise, pumps up its wings, and flies off to feed on
midges and
flies. The adult stage of larger species of dragonfly can last as long as four months.
Classification
Ancient dragonflies ("Anisozygoptera")
Formerly, the Anisoptera were given suborder rank beside the "ancient dragonflies" (Anisozygoptera) which were believed to contain the two living species of the genus
Epiophlebia and numerous fossil ones. More recently it turned out that the "anisozygopterans" form a
paraphyletic assemblage of
morphologically primitive relatives of the Anisoptera. Thus, the Anisoptera (true dragonflies) are reduced to an
infraorder in the new suborder Epiprocta (dragonflies in general). The artificial grouping Anisozygoptera is disbanded, its members being largely recognized as extinct offshoots at various stages of dragonfly
evolution. The two living species formerly placed there — the Asian relict dragonflies — form the infraorder
Epiophlebioptera alongside the Anisoptera.
Dragonflies or damselflies?
Damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are often confused with dragonflies, but the two insects are distinct; most damselflies at rest hold their wings together above the body or held slightly open above (such as in the family Lestidae), whereas dragonflies at rest hold their wings horizontally or occasionally slightly down and forward. Also, the back wing of the dragonfly broadens near the base, caudal to the connecting point at the body, while the back wing of the damselfly is essentially similar to the front wing.The eyes on a damselfly are apart; in most dragonflies the eyes touch. Notable exceptions to this rule are the Petaluridae (Petaltails) and the Gomphidae (Clubtails). Both are members of the Odonata order, making their life cycles very similar.
Some common species of the Northern Hemisphere
- Emperor, Anax imperator
- Keeled Skimmer, Orthetrum coerulescens
- Black-tailed Skimmer, Orthetrum cancellatum
- Common Whitetail, Libellula lydia
- Migrant Hawker, Aeshna mixta
- Azure Hawker, Aeshna caerulea
- Southern Hawker, Aeshna cyanea
- Norfolk Hawker, Aeshna isosceles
- Common Hawker, Aeshna juncea
- Red-veined Darter, Sympetrum fonscolombii
- Common Darter, Sympetrum striolatum
- Vagrant Darter, Sympetrum vulgatum
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Yellow-winged Darter, Sympetrum flaveolum
Broad-bodied Chaser, Libellula depressa
Four-spotted Chaser, Libellula quadrimaculata
Scarce Chaser, Libellula fulva
Green Darner, Anax junius
Downy Emerald, Cordulia aenea
Blue-eyed Darner, Aeshna multicolor
Roseate Skimmer, Orthemis ferruginea
Widow Skimmer, Libellula luctuosa
Great Pondhawk, Erythemis vesiculosa
Comet Darner, Anax longipes
Banded Pennant, Celithemis fasciata
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Some common species of the Southern Hemisphere
Dragonflies in culture
In Europe, dragonflies have often been seen as sinister. Some English vernacular names, such as "
devil's needle" and "ear cutter", link them with evil or injury. A
Romanian
folk tale says that the dragonfly was once a
horse possessed by the devil. This is also seen in the Maltese culture as the word for dragonfly which is "Debba ta' l-infern" literally means Hell's mare.
Swedish folklore holds that the devil uses dragonflies to weigh people's souls. Another Swedish legend holds that
trolls use the dragonflies as
spindles when weaving their clothes (hence the Swedish word for dragonfly
trollslända, lit. "troll's spindle") as well as sending them to poke out the eyes of their enemies. The
Norwegian name for dragonflies is "Øyenstikker", which literally means Eye Poker. They are often associated with
snakes, as in the
Welsh name
gwas-y-neidr, "
adder's servant". The Lithuanian word "" is a composite word meaning "the
Lauma's horse", while in Dutch,
Aeshna mixta is called "" or "horse biter". In some South American countries, dragonflies are also called
matacaballo (horse killer), or
caballito del diablo (devil's horse), since they were perceived as harmful, some species being quite large for an insect.
In East Asia and among Native Americans, dragonflies have a far better reputation, one that can also be said to have positively influenced modern day views about dragonflies in most countries.
For some Native American tribes they represent swiftness and activity, and for the
Navajo they symbolize pure water. Dragonflies are a common motif in
Zuni pottery; stylized as a double-barred cross, they appear in
Hopi rock art and on
Pueblo necklaces. It is said in some Native American beliefs that dragonflies are a symbol of renewal after a time of great hardship.
In
Japan dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness, and they often appear in art and literature, especially
haiku. In ancient mythology, Japan was known as
Akitsushima, which means "Land of the Dragonflies". The love for dragonflies is reflected by the fact that there are traditional names for almost all of the 200 species of dragonflies found in and around Japan. Japanese children catch large dragonflies as a game, using a hair with a small pebble tied to each end, which they throw into the air. The dragonfly mistakes the pebbles for prey, gets tangled in the hair, and is dragged to the ground by the weight.
Also, in
Japan, amongst the
Three Great Spears of Japan is one which is called the
Tonbo-giri, which when translated is called 'The Dragon Fly Cutter'. The spear is an important part of Japans imperial regalia, the spear it's self was once wielded by the legendary
Samurai,
Honda Tadakatsu. It's name is derived from the story that the blade is so sharp, that once a dragon fly landed on it and was instantly cut in half.
They also have traditional uses as medicine in Japan and China. In some parts of the world they're a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae; in
Indonesia, for example, they're caught on poles made sticky with
birdlime, then fried in oil as a
delicacy. They have also been used as a decorative motif on fabrics and home furnishings.
Gallery
Image:Aust blue dragonfly02.jpg|Australian blue dragonfly
Image:Dragon Fly.JPG|African dragonfly perched on a leaf
Image:Anax_withmeal.jpg|Green Darner Dragonfly feeding on honey bee
Image:Yellow-striped hunter dragonfly05.jpg|Austrogomphus guerini
Image:RubyMeadowhawkDragonfly.jpg|Ruby Meadowhawk dragonfly, Sympetrum rubicundulum
Image:Dragonfly midair.jpg|Dragonfly in midflight over a creek
Image:Dragonfly eye 3811.jpg|The compound eyes of a dragonfly
Image:Cherry-faced meadowhawk pair.jpg|Cherry-faced Meadowhawk,Sympetrum internum
Image:Aeshna mixta6.jpg|Dragonflies mating
Image:Mating_dragon1.jpg|Mating
Image:Mating_dragon_2.jpg|Mating
Image:Aeshnid-ovipositing-800x600.jpg|Dragonfly depositing eggs
Image:Hpim4311.jpg|Dragonfly from Lower Silesia (Poland) - bottom
Image:Polish_dragonfly.jpg| Dragonfly from Lower Silesia - top
Image:A Perched Dragonfly.jpg
Image:Cali spreadwing2.jpg|California Spreadwing Archilestes californicus
Image:Pied paddy skimmer female.JPG|Indian pied paddy skimmer female
Image:Pied paddy skimmer male(Neurothemis tullia tullia).jpg| Indian pied paddy skimmer male
Image:Blue Dragonfly Resting on Water.jpg|in Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, USA
Image:Blue_dragonfly_Kamakura_Japan.jpg|Blue Dragonfly in a temple in Kamakura, Japan
Image:Sardinian_Dragonfly.JPG|Sardinian Dragonfly
Image:Darter August 2007-19.jpg|Female Red-veined darter. Lisboa, Portugal
Further Information
Get more info on 'Dragonfly'.
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