Facts About Dragonflies

🐉 Quick Facts About Dragonflies

1. Ancient and diverse

• Dragonflies belong to the insect infraorder Anisoptera under Odonata, a group that’s survived for over 300 million years
  
• About 3,000–5,000 species exist worldwide, mostly in tropical regions
  

2. Extraordinary Vision and Flight

• Each compound eye contains nearly 24,000 ommatidia, providing nearly 360° vision 
• They are among the fastest insects—some species fly up to 30 mph, hovering and darting in all directions 

3. Skilled Hunters

• Dragonflies are carnivorous predators, catching up to 97% of their prey in mid-air—mostly mosquitos, flies, and other small insects
  
• Their nymphs (aquatic juveniles) live underwater, breathing through their tibutary rectal gills and using them for jet propulsion to hunt prey
  

4. Complex Life Cycle and Behavior

• Dragonflies undergo incomplete metamorphosis—from eggs to aquatic nymphs (naiads) and finally winged adults
  
• Their aerial mating ritual forms a distinctive “wheel” or “heart” shape when males lock onto females
  

5. Ecological Significance

• They help control mosquito populations, eating up to 100 mosquitos a day
  

Dragonfly presence indicates healthy freshwater ecosystems; their decline often signals water pollution.