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Reference photos - Dragonflies
Cool fact about Dragonflies!!
The dragonfly begins life as an egg when an adult female dragonflies lays
her eggs in the water. About two weeks later the eggs hatches and a nymph, an
immature dragonfly, emerges. Nymphs have tiny wings and a large lower lip to catch their prey,
often mosquito larvae. Dragonfly nymphs live in the water. The Nymphs of some species may take as long as three years to mature.
When the dragonfly nymph reaches maturity, it crawls out of the water onto a plant stem. Then its skin begins to molt
(metamorphosis style - shed their skin). The process takes about two hours.
First the head, then the thorax, then the legs, and then the wings of an adult dragonfly emerge.
Shortly after the newly emerged dragonfly is able to fly. It takes a few days before the adult's beautiful colors are fully developed. Adult dragonflies live only a few months.
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Are dragonflies beneficial to humans?
YES! Sometimes dragonflies are called "mosquito hawk" because they catch and eat so many mosquitoes.
They are always on the hunt. Dragonflies consume gnats, flies, and mosquitoes--all of which
we humans consider pests. |
Weird Fact of the Day
A dragonfly flaps its wings 20 to 40 times a second, bees and houseflies 200 times, some mosquitoes 600
times, and a tiny gnat 1,000 times.
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Symbolize for the afterlife in the Japanese culture.
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Have you noticed, dragonflies rest with their wings held straight
out? |
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This is not a "Dragonfly" it is a
damselflies. (Odonata) Although the two are similar, damselflies are smaller than dragonflies.
Damselflies can fold their wings over their backs when they are at rest
while a dragonflies can not. |
interesting colors...
 Photo credit Kathy Boast ©2005
photos hosted on Real Charleston
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