Known for their stand out colors and huge eyes, dragonflies are a beautiful and exquisite insect.

Dragonflies are territorial and beneficial in the insect world. They will find a good hunting area (usually near water) and stay in that location. Dragonflies prey on smaller insects including gnats and mosquitoes. Eating up to hundreds of mosquitoes a day, this helps make them beneficial to humans.

It’s fascinating to watch a dragonfly catch another insect in mid-flight; they zone in on one particular insect with their compound eyes and swoop down and capture their prey. Dragonflies have up to 30,000 facets on their eyes allowing them to see in every direction except behind them.

Once their prey is captured, the dragonfly disables it. Using its sharp mandibles, it will rip off the insects’ wings or bite its head and take it back to its territory.

Dragonflies spend most of their life in the water. The females will lay her eggs in the water and for the next 2 to 6 years (depending on species) the immature dragonfly lives in the water. Eggs will hatch within a few days and depending on species could take up to several weeks. The larvae will molt multiple times before surfacing and transforming into a dragonfly. The adults only live for a few months after emerging from the water and reproducing with other dragonflies.

Even though dragonflies have sharp mandibles and are excellent hunters, they are actually not an aggressive insect towards humans. They don’t have stingers and their jaws are not strong enough for their mandibles to break the human skin. It doesn’t mean you may not feel a pinch if they land on you and you make them feel threatened. It just means, they aren’t harmful to humans.

While dragonflies are preying on other insects, other species are preying on them. Reptiles, fish, spiders and birds prey on dragonflies. They also eat the larvae of dragonflies from the water.

So, if you live by the lake or have a swimming pool and see dragonflies flying around, it’s probably hunting insects on your property and it’s time to give us a call.  Call today to rid your property of insects. 214-321-2847