Tuesday 8 February 2022

DRAGONFLY

 


Hello Tuesday, you're wet again but that's ok we need rain, now this weeks extreme creature is the dragonfly.

The dragonfly is one of the fastest flying insects in the world, with the larger species capable of speeds of up to 70km/h. It's also incredibly nimble in the air, it can hover, fly in zigzags and go backwards.

Adult dragonflies are characterised by a pair of large, multifaceted compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. They have a lifespan of 7-56 days.

Dragonflies come in all sorts of colours like yellow, red, brown, and blue; sometimes the wings have brown spots and bands. Male damselflies typically have iridescent wings and some type of colourful blue, green, or purple body, while the females usually have a golden brown colour, even on their wings.

Who eats them? Just about everything. Birds, especially the more acrobatic flyers such as flycatchers, swallows, kingfishers, falcons and kites, eat countless dragonflies, while spiders, praying mantids, robber flies and even early-emerging bats will dine on dragonflies as well. Who eats them? Just about everything.


Birds, especially the more acrobatic flyers such as flycatchers, swallows, kingfishers, falcons and kites, eat countless dragonflies, while spiders, praying mantids, robber flies and even early-emerging bats will dine on dragonflies as well.

7 comments:

  1. We have many dragonflies in our yard - due to the pond and we feed the birds. I've never seen one of our birds eat a dragonfly. Maybe we feed them well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Interesting. I love butterflies and dragonflies, but I love everything in the garden!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am been fascinated by the beautiful dragonflies since as a young kid. Very seldom do we get to see dragonflies in my places. Only a few will drop by my garden once in a while.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the transparent wings and the pretty colors of the dragonfly.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Debby...............Cool

    Kathy...........I also like butterflies and dragonflies

    nancy..........I rarely see them

    Karen....,...Yes so pretty

    ReplyDelete
  6. Just try and snap a picture of one, this is no surprise...

    ReplyDelete
  7. I tried and succeeded snapping a photo once only. I will try to find it.

    ReplyDelete

Transport in Newcastle Way Back When

                                                                       Early Buses This week will be looking at early public transport in Ne...