Contrary to their name, dragonflies are neither dragons nor actual flies. Famed for their distinctive behaviors and captivating beauty, these winged insects have inspired numerous legends, tales, and artistic pieces, providing insights into both natural history and evolution.
Are you intrigued by these stunning winged creatures? To help deepen your understanding, here are ten fascinating facts about dragonflies to provide more insights into these mesmerizing animals.
10 Astonishing Facts About Dragonflies
1: Dragonflies Have Been on Earth for Over 300 Million Years
Dragonfly fossils dating back over 300 million years predate dinosaur fossils, suggesting they were among the first winged insects to evolve and one of the oldest.
This discovery offers unique insight into evolution of insects and prehistoric ecosystem dynamics, specifically highlighting dragonfly resilience and adaptability.
2: About 7,000 Species of Dragonflies Exist Worldwide
Dragonflies represent over 7,000 species worldwide and boast an astonishing variety of appearances and aerial abilities, making each dragonfly species special within their ecosystems. Petalura ingentissima, or giant petal tail, is known for being the world’s largest. Belonging to the Odonata order of insects, each dragonfly species plays its own important role.
3: Dragonflies Are Among the Fastest Insects
The Smithsonian has named the dragonfly the fastest flying insect at 35 mph. Their two sets of independently moving wings allow them to hover while giving them complete control of their bodies in flight
This fact about dragonflies highlights their impressive physical capabilities.
4: Dragonflies Have Two Giant Eyes
Dragonflies possess two large compound eyes with more than 30,000 facets for gathering environmental information; this gives them nearly 360-degree vision.
These flutter flyers possess extraordinary vision, which allows them to locate individual insects from among swarms and avoid midair collisions with other bugs—an advantage that ensures their survival and well-being in their environments.
5: Dragonflies Have Sharp Mandibles
Dragonflies belong to the Odonata order meaning “toothed one” but they do not possess teeth; instead, they utilize sharp mandibles (appendages near their mouth) to tear apart prey and eat it.
Although harmless to humans, dragonflies’ mandibles can deliver a noticeable pinch. They use these mandibles to consume prey while still in flight, an impressive demonstration of their predatory capabilities.
6: Dragonflies Snag Their Prey From Air
Dragonflies belong to the Odonata order meaning “toothed one” but they do not possess teeth; instead, they utilize sharp mandibles (appendages near their mouth) to tear apart prey and eat it.
Although harmless to humans, dragonflies’ mandibles can deliver a noticeable pinch. They use these mandibles to consume prey while still in flight, an impressive demonstration of their predatory capabilities.
7: Dragonflies See UV and Polarized Light
One striking characteristic of dragonflies is that their eyes feature four or five opsin molecules (universal photoreceptor molecules), which provide excellent vision in normal color spectrum light, UV radiation, and polarized illumination.
Advanced vision helps flying insects navigate and reduce sunlight’s glare from water bodies for hunting and migration purposes. Furthermore, its vision aids them in detecting invisible movements or patterns within their environments, making these insects highly adaptive to their environments.
8: Dragonfly Migrates up to 11,000 Miles
Yes! Dragonflies are masters of flight; some species can cover 11,000 miles to locate resources or adapt to environmental change.
Green darners (Anax junius) migrate south in large swarms each autumn before returning north again during spring. One species, Pantala flavescens, which breeds in temporary freshwater pools, set a record insect journey of 11,000 miles between India and Africa during rainy seasons to replenish breeding sites—setting an insect world record!
9: Dragonflies Are Found on Every Continent Except Antarctica
As with other insects, dragonflies are cold-blooded. Therefore, they cannot regulate their internal body temperatures via thermoregulation alone; rather, they rely on sunlight. So far, they’ve been seen on every continent except Antarctica, where the climate proves too extreme for survival.
Hummingbirds thrive in warm environments and thrive in wet habitats like ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. You might catch sight of one fluttering through the air in summer to add its vibrancy.
10: Life Expectancy of Dragonflies is Shorter
Yes, adult dragonflies display remarkable adaptability and characteristics; however, their lifespans tend to be short, typically one or two weeks.
Some species, like the green darner (Anax junius), live only four to seven weeks as winged adults, further emphasizing their short yet active lives. Although their winged adult lifespan may be brief, their larval stage usually lasts 5-7 years subsurface, providing a unique representation of their habitat.
Conclusion
Dragonflies are captivating insects with a 300 million-year history and incredible aerial maneuverability. They play an essential role in maintaining freshwater ecosystems while helping preserve environmental balance and ecological harmony.
Dragonflies play an invaluable role in our ecosystem, from their ancient beginnings to extensive migration patterns that cover thousands of miles each year. Their incredible facts demonstrate this.
FAQs
What are 5 interesting facts about dragonflies?
- Dragonflies have existed on Earth for more than 300 million years.
- There are about 7,000 species today.
- They are amongst the fastest insects.
- Dragonflies also possess two huge eyes.
- Dragonflies have sharp mandibles.
How far can a dragonfly fly without stopping?
One dragonfly made history when it flew 11,000 miles between India and Africa during the rainy season to replenish breeding sites for breeding. This incredible journey set an insect world record.
How do dragonflies catch their food?
Dragonflies are adept predators that use their legs as baskets to capture and devour insects in flight. They use their keen senses and flying abilities to quickly seize prey and consume it before it escapes their reach.
How many days does a dragonfly live?
Adult dragonflies usually live one to two weeks, evolving quickly as aquatic larvae before emerging as adults, but sometimes their lifespan extends up to six or eight months.
Do dragonflies see UV light?
Dragonflies possess four to five opsins in each eye that enable them to see UV and polarized light. This helps them navigate water bodies more accurately while hunting or migrating and reduces sunlight’s glare on them. It also enables them to reduce sun glare on bodies of water for hunting or migration purposes and navigate with greater precision than their prey would do otherwise.