Now that it's high summer, I’ve seen lots of Dragonflies diving and darting around the yard. These speedy fliers are notoriously hard to photograph, but this one was nice enough to strike a pose for me.
Dragonflies are usually found around lakes, ponds, and wetlands because their larva, called nymphs, is aquatic. Adults and larva are always welcome in my yard because they help control the mosquito population. In fact, adult dragonflies are feared by mosquitoes. Just hearing the whir of dragonfly wings supposedly scares mosquitoes away. Adults also eat bees, ants, and butterflies. Nymphs feast on mosquito larvae as well as worms, crustaceans, small fish and tadpoles.
In the South, these insects are also known as “snake doctors” because folk lore holds that they can heal injured snakes. I hope the ones I see in the yard aren’t on a house call.
Comments