Renée DeVincent
Insects| Pond Habitat
Dragonflies have been flying around Earth for over 300 million years, even before dinosaurs roamed the planet! These colorful insects are some of the fastest and most skilled fliers in nature.
In this article, you’ll discover fascinating dragonfly facts for kids, including where dragonflies live, what they eat, how they hunt, and why they are important to healthy backyard ecosystems.
5 Surprising Short Facts about Dragonflies
Dragonflies are fast-flying insects with long bodies, giant eyes, and sparkling wings. They zoom through the air like tiny helicopters, darting over ponds, gardens, and wetlands on warm summer days. Their shiny wings and speedy flight make dragonflies among the most exciting backyard insects to watch. They come in many beautiful colors and sizes. Some are bright blue, while others are green, red, gold, or black.
Here are a few common dragonflies you might spot:
Blue Dasher
The Blue Dasher is a small dragonfly with a mostly dusty-blue body. Males are usually much brighter than females.
These dragonflies love sunny ponds and slow-moving water. They often perch on tall grasses or sticks while watching for insects to catch.
Widow Skimmer
The Widow Skimmer is one of the easiest dragonflies to spot because of its bold wings. It has large dark patches near the tips of its wings and bright white sections that almost look painted on.
These dragonflies like ponds, wetlands, and quiet water habitats. They often rest on reeds or branches near the water’s edge.
Halloween Pennant
The Halloween Pennant is a small dragonfly with bright orange wings that look like tiny flags blowing in the wind. Its wings have dark bands and spots, making it one of the most colorful dragonflies in North America.
These dragonflies often perch at the tips of tall grasses near ponds, marshes, and wetlands. When the wind blows, they gently bob back and forth like little pennants on a pole.
Twelve-Spotted Skimmer
The Twelve-Spotted Skimmer is a large dragonfly with twelve bold black spots on its wings. Adult males also have bright white patches on their wings that stand out in sunlight.
These dragonflies are often seen resting on sticks or plants near ponds and lakes before darting out to catch flying insects.
Dragonflies are some of the best fliers in the insect world.
They can:
Some dragonflies can fly over 30 miles per hour!
Dragonflies have enormous eyes that cover most of their heads.
Their eyes help them:
A dragonfly can see almost all the way around its body.
Baby dragonflies are called nymphs.
Dragonfly nymphs spend most of their lives underwater before becoming adults. Some may live underwater for years!
Nymphs eat:
When they are ready to become adults, they crawl out of the water and shed their skin.
Dragonflies help control mosquito populations and other small insects.
Both adults and nymphs are important predators in backyard ecosystems.
Dragonflies are also food for birds, frogs, and fish. Healthy dragonfly populations often mean the environment is healthy too.
Want to attract dragonflies to your backyard?
Dragonflies share their habitat with other backyard-loving animals, such as
frogs,
turtles, and
butterflies. Each one plays a different role in keeping your backyard healthy and full of life.
As a family, visit a pond, lake, marsh, or park and look for dragonflies flying near the water. Bring binoculars or a notebook and count how many different colors or sizes you can find.ο»Ώ
