Long black and green abdomon 4 clear wings,
green thorax. Wing span 2 1/2"-2 3/4". Nymph
is striped green and brown.
Range:
U.S.
Habitat:
Slow streams and ponds
Food:
Adult eats small flying insects. Nymphs
eat small aquatic insects and worms.
Lifecycle:
Incomplete metamorphosis-3 stages
Winter Survival:
As a nymph
Lifespan:
1 year
Adaptations:
It has compound eyes for better sight.
Sleep Cycle:
Diurnal
Niche:
Both
Role to Humans:
Beneficial
Population:
Common
Interesting Facts:
Dragonflies are often called devil's darning
needles.
Sources:
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North
American Insects and Spiders, A Golden Guide to Insects
Expressive Drawing and Poem
Scientific Drawing
Dragonfly
My mother dropped me and my brothers and sisters into the water
as eggs. I stayed there all winter long. In the springtime, I
crawled out of my egg and started swimming as a nymph. I was hungry
and I saw a little fish swimming by. I got it with my bottom lip
and brought it into my mouth. I was growing so fast that I shed
my skin and every time I did, my wings got longer. After the 5th
time that I shed my skin, I was so, so hungry. I saw a tadpole
and I chased him all over the pond until I caught him. Finally,
it was the 12th time that I shed my skin so I got out of the water
onto a cattail. I popped my head out of the old skin and within
15 minutes I had my whole body out. Four hours later I was full
grown and hungry. So I flew around and it felt cool. I was having
so much fun flying that I forgot that I was hungry. Finally I
found some mosquitoes for lunch. I was just flying around and
I saw this female dragonfly. She was orange with black spots and
she had green eyes. So I flew down there and I said, "Hi". After
we mated, I went to look for some more food. There was a crow
that was looking for some food, too, and that food was me. I was
flying as fast as I could but it got me and I died. Well, at least
I knew my sons and daughters were safe because my mate had dropped
the eggs into the water.
