Mosquitoes, midges, flies — dragonflies eat them all! If you see them hovering about your yard, thank them for keeping pesky pests under control.
Belonging to the order Odonata, there are several families of dragonflies that are all different in their own unique ways. But one thing is similar amongst all groups: They’re voracious hunters of insects we consider pests.
That’s right. Mosquitos, midges, flies, they eat them all. And not just as adults, they’re just as voracious before they even get their wings.
Dragonfly nymphs, or naiads, consume not just invertebrates in freshwater, but even tadpoles or small fish. Dragonflies are excellent fliers who implement a variety of different techniques that pull from many different facets of physics. Their hunting success rate is 95%.
Usually spending their time in wetlands, dragonflies may be a rare sight in your yard. If you see them, this means your yard has their favorite food source: insects. They also happen to be attracted to native plants and might stop by for a bit to rest.
If you see them pointing their abdomens straight up to the sky, this is called the obelisk posture. They do this to prevent overheating on sunny days because they’re cold-blooded and depend on their external environment to thermoregulate. This works by reducing the surface area exposed to the sun, and in turn lowers their body temperature. Some dragonflies may do this to defend their territory too, using this posture as a threat display.
Those big compound eyes aren’t just for show. Dragonflies see 200 images per second and can see in 360 degrees, which means very little gets past them.
When it comes to habitat, preferences vary between the different species. It may be fun to see what dragonflies are living around you and their ideal conditions so you can get an idea of the conditions in your local wetlands. Since they’re very sensitive to changes in conditions, they are a good bioindicator.
If you want them to stick around in your yard, you must provide a few things. Dragonflies lay their eggs in water or aquatic plants, so you’ll need to provide a body of water that’s at least 2 feet deep. Even better if the depth is variable, so there are places for the nymphs to perch when out of the water — and deeper areas to hide in.
Aquatic plants are a must and should be tall enough for the nymphs to climb up and do their final shed of skin into adulthood. Some may even benefit your local pollinators! Think rushes (Schoenoplectus spp), pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), arrowhead (Sagitaria platyphylla), spatterdock (Nuphar lutea ssp. advena), giant cutgrass (Zizaniopsis miliacea), and if you have a larger pond American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) is a good choice too.
Keep in mind that dragonflies eat insects, so avoid using pesticides so they can stay fed safely. By doing this, you’re not just providing for dragonflies, but for wildlife around you too.
