| Dragonfly | |
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| Yellow-winged Darter | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Epiprocta |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera Selys, 1800 |
| Families | |
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Aeshnidae |
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A dragonfly is a type of insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Dragonflies are similar to damselflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most dragonflies are held away from, and perpendicular to, the body when at rest. Even though dragonflies possess 6 legs like any other insect, they are not capable of walking.
Dragonflies are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, and butterflies. They are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic.
Contents |
Anisoptera comes from the Greek an meaning not, iso meaning equal, and ptera meaning wings. Their hind wings are broader than their forewings.
Female dragonflies lay eggs in or near water, often on floating or emergent plants. When laying eggs, some species will submerge themselves completely in order to lay their eggs on a good surface. The eggs then hatch into nymphs. Most of a dragonfly's life is spent in the nymph form, beneath the water's surface, using extendable jaws to catch other invertebrates or even vertebrates such as tadpoles and fish. They breathe through gills in their rectum, and can rapidly propel themselves by suddenly expelling water through the anus.[1] Some nymphs even hunt on land,[2] an aptitude which could easily have been more common in ancient times when terrestrial predators were clumsier.
The larval stage of large dragonflies may last as long as five years. In smaller species, this stage may last between two months and three years. When the larva is ready to metamorphose into an adult, it climbs up a reed or other emergent plant. Exposure to air causes the larva to begin breathing. The skin splits at a weak spot behind the head and the adult dragonfly crawls out of its old larval skin, pumps up its wings, and flies off to feed on midges and flies. In flight the adult dragonfly can propel itself in six directions; upward, downward, forward, back, and side to side.[3] The adult stage of larger species of dragonfly can last as long as five or six months.
Formerly, the Anisoptera were given suborder rank beside the "ancient dragonflies" (Anisozygoptera) which were believed to contain the two living species of the genus Epiophlebia and numerous fossil ones. More recently it turned out that the "anisozygopterans" form a paraphyletic assemblage of morphologically primitive relatives of the Anisoptera. Thus, the Anisoptera (true dragonflies) are reduced to an infraorder in the new suborder Epiprocta (dragonflies in general). The artificial grouping Anisozygoptera is disbanded, its members being largely recognized as extinct offshoots at various stages of dragonfly evolution. The two living species formerly placed there — the Asian relict dragonflies — form the infraorder Epiophlebioptera alongside the Anisoptera.
Damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are often confused with newly moulted dragonflies but once a dragonfly moults, it is fully grown. There are other distinctions that set them apart: most damselflies hold their wings at rest together above the torso or held slightly open above (such as in the family Lestidae), whereas most dragonflies at rest hold their wings horizontally or occasionally slightly down and forward. Also, the back wing of the dragonfly broadens near the base, caudal to the connecting point at the body, while the back wing of the damselfly is similar to the front wing. The eyes on a damselfly are apart; in most dragonflies the eyes touch. Notable exceptions are the Petaluridae (Petaltails) and the Gomphidae (Clubtails).
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In Europe, dragonflies have often been seen as sinister. Some English vernacular names, such as "devil's darning needle" and "ear cutter", link them with evil or injury.[4] A Romanian folk tale says that the dragonfly was once a horse possessed by the devil. Swedish folklore holds that the devil uses dragonflies to weigh people's souls.[5] Another Swedish legend holds that trolls use the dragonflies as spindles when weaving their clothes (hence the Swedish word for dragonfly trollslända, lit. "troll's spindle") as well as sending them to poke out the eyes of their enemies.[citation needed] The Norwegian name for dragonflies is "Øyenstikker", which literally means Eye Poker and in Portugal they are sometimes called "Tira-olhos" (Eye snatcher). They are often associated with snakes, as in the Welsh name gwas-y-neidr, "adder's servant".[4] The Southern United States term "snake doctor" refers to a folk belief that dragonflies follow snakes around and stitch them back together if they are injured.[6] The Lithuanian word "Laum žirgis" is a composite word meaning "the Lauma's horse", while in Dutch, Aeshna mixta is called "Paardenbijter" or "horse biter". In some South American countries, dragonflies are also called matacaballo (horse killer), or caballito del diablo (devil's little horse), since they were perceived as harmful, some species being quite large for an insect.
In East Asia and among Native Americans, dragonflies have a far better reputation, one that can also be said to have positively influenced modern day views about dragonflies in most countries, in the same vein as the insect's namesake, the dragon, which has a positive image in the east,[citation needed] but initially had an association with evil in the west.
For some Native American tribes they represent swiftness and activity, and for the Navajo they symbolize pure water. Dragonflies are a common motif in Zuni pottery; stylized as a double-barred cross, they appear in Hopi rock art and on Pueblo necklaces.[7] It is said in some Native American beliefs that dragonflies are a symbol of renewal after a time of great hardship.
They also have traditional uses as medicine in Japan and China. In some parts of the world they are a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae; in Indonesia, for example, they are caught on poles made sticky with birdlime, then fried in oil as a delicacy.[4]
Vietnamese people have a traditional way to forecast rain by seeing dragonflies: "Chuồn chuồn bay thấp thì mưa, bay cao thì nắng, bay vừa thì râm" (Dragonflies fly at low level, it is rainy; dragonflies fly at high level, it is sunny; dragonflies fly at medium level, it is shadowy).
In some parts of the world it is considered lucky to have a dragonfly land on you, even to the point of yielding seven years of good luck.
In the United States dragonflies and damselflies are sought out as a hobby similar to birding and butterflying, known as oding, from the dragonfly's Latin species name, odonata. Oding is especially popular in Texas, where 225 out of a total of 457 known species of odonates in the world have been observed. With care, dragonflies can be handled and released by Oders, like butterflies.[8]
Images of dragonflies were common in Art Nouveau, especially in jewelry designs. [9] They also appear in posters by modern artists such as Maeve Harris.[10] They have also been used as a decorative motif on fabrics and home furnishings.[11]
In Japan dragonflies symbolize "martial success," due to similarity in the sound of the word "dragonfly" and "victory" in Japanese.[citation needed] As a seasonal symbol, the dragonfly is associated with late summer and early autumn.[12]
More generally, in Japan dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness, and they often appear in art and literature, especially haiku. In ancient mythology, Japan was known as Akitsushima, which means "Land of the Dragonflies".[citation needed] The love for dragonflies is reflected by the fact that there are traditional names for almost all of the 200 species of dragonflies found in and around Japan.[13] Japanese children catch large dragonflies as a game, using a hair with a small pebble tied to each end, which they throw into the air. The dragonfly mistakes the pebbles for prey, gets tangled in the hair, and is dragged to the ground by the weight.[14]
Also, in Japan, amongst the Three Great Spears of Japan is one which is called the Tonbogiri, which when translated is called 'The Dragon Fly Cutter'. The spear is an important part of Japan's imperial regalia - the spear itself was once wielded by the legendary Samurai, Honda Tadakatsu. Its name is derived from the story that the blade is so sharp, a dragonfly once landed on it and was instantly cut in half.
In drug references, several drugs have been synthesized that have molecule structures resembling Dragonflies. For instance Bromo-dragonfly and 2C-B-FLY. The names reflect the dragonfly appearance.
 Red Dragonfly from California |
 Dragonfly from Florida. |
 Australian blue dragonfly |
 African dragonfly perched on a leaf |
 Green Darner Dragonfly feeding on honey bee |
 Austrogomphus guerini |
 Flame Skimmer dragonfly, Libellula saturata |
 Dragonfly in midflight over a creek |
 The compound eyes of a dragonfly |
 Cherry-faced Meadowhawk, |
 Dragonflies mating |
 Mating |
 Mating |
 Dragonfly depositing eggs |
 Dragonfly from Lower Silesia - top |
 A perched dragonfly Widow Skimmer |
 California Spreadwing Archilestes californicus |
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 Indian pied paddy skimmer female |
 Indian pied paddy skimmer male |
 in Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, USA |
 Blue Dragonfly in Kamakura, Japan |
 Sardinian Dragonfly |
 Female Red-veined darter. Lisboa, Portugal |
 Emperor dragonfly in Greece |
 Dragonfly, Kolkata India |
 Dragonfly, Kolkata India |
 Red Dragonfly (Trithemis annulata), Israel |
micha flies kick jack flies.. the dragonfly flies in my pants
| Dragonfly | |
|---|---|
| File:Sympetrum flaveolum - side (aka).jpg | |
| Yellow-winged Darter | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Epiprocta |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera Selys, 1800 |
| Families | |
|
Aeshnidae | |
A dragonfly is an insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Dragonflies are similar to damselflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most dragonflies are held away from, and perpendicular to, the body when at rest. Dragonflies possess six legs (like any other insect), but most of them cannot walk well.
Dragonflies are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, and very rarely butterflies. They are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic.
Contents |
Anisoptera comes from the Greek an meaning not, iso meaning equal, and ptera meaning wings. Their hind wings are broader than their fore wings.
Female dragonflies lay eggs in or near water, often on floating or emergent plants. When laying eggs, some species will submerge themselves completely in order to lay their eggs on a good surface. The eggs then hatch into nymphs. Most of a dragonfly's life is spent in the nymph form, beneath the water's surface, using extendable jaws to catch other invertebrates (often mosquito larvae) or even vertebrates such as tadpoles and fish.[1][2][3][4] They breathe through gills in their rectum, and can rapidly propel themselves by suddenly expelling water through the anus.[5] Some nymphs even hunt on land,[6] an aptitude which could easily have been more common in ancient times when terrestrial predators were clumsier.
The larval stage of large dragonflies may last as long as five years. In smaller species, this stage may last between two months and three years. When the larva is ready to metamorphose into an adult, it climbs up a reed or other emergent plant. Exposure to air causes the larva to begin breathing. The skin splits at a weak spot behind the head and the adult dragonfly crawls out of its old larval skin, pumps up its wings, and flies off to feed on midges and flies. In flight the adult dragonfly can propel itself in six directions; upward, downward, forward, back, and side to side.[7] The adult stage of larger species of dragonfly can last as long as five or six months.
Formerly, the Anisoptera were given suborder rank beside the "ancient dragonflies" (Anisozygoptera) which were believed to contain the two living species of the genus Epiophlebia and numerous fossil ones. More recently it turned out that the "anisozygopterans" form a paraphyletic assemblage of morphologically primitive relatives of the Anisoptera. Thus, the Anisoptera (true dragonflies) are reduced to an infraorder in the new suborder Epiprocta (dragonflies in general). The artificial grouping Anisozygoptera is disbanded, its members being largely recognized as extinct offshoots at various stages of dragonfly evolution. The two living species formerly placed there — the Asian relict dragonflies — form the infraorder Epiophlebioptera alongside the Anisoptera.
Damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are often confused with newly moulted dragonflies but once a dragonfly moults, it is fully grown. There are other distinctions that set them apart: most damselflies hold their wings at rest together above the torso or held slightly open above (such as in the family Lestidae), whereas most dragonflies at rest hold their wings perpendicular to their body, horizontally or occasionally slightly down and forward. Also, the back wing of the dragonfly broadens near the base, caudal to the connecting point at the body, while the back wing of the damselfly is similar to the front wing. The eyes on a damselfly are apart; in most dragonflies the eyes touch. Notable exceptions are the Petaluridae (Petaltails) and the Gomphidae (Clubtails).
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[[File:|thumb|right|Flame Skimmer]]
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In Europe, dragonflies have often been seen as sinister. Some English vernacular names, such as "devil's darning needle" and "ear cutter", link them with evil or injury.[8] A Romanian folk tale says that the dragonfly was once a horse possessed by the devil. Swedish folklore holds that the devil uses dragonflies to weigh people's souls.[9]:25–27 The Norwegian name for dragonflies is "Øyenstikker", which literally means Eye Poker and in Portugal they are sometimes called "Tira-olhos" (Eye snatcher). They are often associated with snakes, as in the Welsh name gwas-y-neidr, "adder's servant".[8] The Southern United States term "snake doctor" refers to a folk belief that dragonflies follow snakes around and stitch them back together if they are injured.[10]
bowl from Sikyatki archaeological site.]]
For some Native American tribes they represent swiftness and activity, and for the Navajo they symbolize pure water. Dragonflies are a common motif in Zuni pottery; stylized as a double-barred cross, they appear in Hopi rock art and on Pueblo necklaces.[9]:20–26
They also have traditional uses as medicine in Japan and China. In some parts of the world they are a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae; in Indonesia, for example, they are caught on poles made sticky with birdlime, then fried in oil as a delicacy.[8]
In the United States dragonflies and damselflies are sought out as a hobby similar to birding and butterflying, known as oding, from the dragonfly's Latin species name, odonata. Oding is especially popular in Texas, where a total of 225 species of odonates in the world have been observed. With care, dragonflies can be handled and released by oders, like butterflies.[11]
Images of dragonflies are common in Art Nouveau, especially in jewelry designs.[12] They also appear in posters by modern artists such as Maeve Harris.[13] They have also been used as a decorative motif on fabrics and home furnishings.[14]
As a seasonal symbol in Japan, the dragonfly is associated with late summer and early autumn.[15]
More generally, in Japan dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness, and they often appear in art and literature, especially haiku. The love for dragonflies is reflected in the fact that there are traditional names for almost all of the 200 species of dragonflies found in and around Japan.[16] Japanese children catch large dragonflies as a game, using a hair with a small pebble tied to each end, which they throw into the air. The dragonfly mistakes the pebbles for prey, gets tangled in the hair, and is dragged to the ground by the weight.[9]:38
As it symbolizes courage, boys are given the name of "Tombo", meaning dragonfly. The shape of the archipelago of Japan, as seen on a map, is said to be that of a dragonfly. Hence the leading male character in Kiki's Delivery Service, in a non-Japanese setting, is named "Tombo" so that the Japanese audience can identify with him.
Beyond this one of Japan's former names – あきつしま (Akitsushima) – is literally an archaic form of Dragonfly Island(s).[17] This is attributed to a legend in which Japan's mythical founder, Emperor Jinmu, was bitten by a mosquito, which was then promptly eaten by a dragonfly. [18][19]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dragonfly |
| Wikispecies has information related to: Dragonfly |
| Dragonfly | |||||||||||
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| File:Sympetrum sanguineum female (d1) | |||||||||||
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[[File:|thumb|220px|alt=A baby dragonfly|A dragonfly nymph.]] [[File:|thumb|right|220px|Flame Skimmer]]
Dragonflies are insects of the order Odonata. They have large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Even though dragonflies possess six legs (like any other insect), they are not capable of walking.
Dragonflies are predators which eat mosquitoes, and other small insects such as flies, bees, ants, and butterflies. There are about 5,300 species of dragonfly.
Dragonflies are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands. Their larvae, known as 'nymphs', are aquatic.[1] Dragonflies come in many different colours such as green, blue, red, and even purple.
Dragonflies have been around for 300 million years.[2] In the Carboniferous period, some species had wing-spans of over two feet.
Contents |
Dragonflies are in one suborder of the Odonata, and their relatives, the damselflies, are in another suborder. Many people mistake the damselfly for the dragonfly, and they are indeed similar.
However, adult damselflies have thinner, more delicate bodies than those of dragonflies. This you can see even when they are flying. When at rest, most damselflies hold their wings together above the body, whereas most dragonflies at rest hold their wings horizontally or occasionally slightly down and forward. The eyes of dragonflies are larger, and touch each other.[1]
Female dragonflies lay eggs in or near water, often on plants. When laying eggs, some species will submerge themselves completely in order to lay their eggs on a good surface. The eggs then hatch into nymphs. While in the nymph stage they eat mosquito larvae and other things. Most of a dragonfly's life is spent in the nymph form, beneath the water's surface, using extendable jaws to catch other invertebrates or even vertebrates such as tadpoles and fish.[3][4][5][6] They breathe through gills in their rectum, and can rapidly propel themselves by suddenly expelling water through the anus.[7] Some nymphs even hunt on land.[8]
The larval stage of large dragonflies may last as long as five years. In smaller species, this stage may last between two months and three years. When the larva is ready to metamorphose into an adult, it climbs up a reed or other emergent plant. Exposure to air causes the larva to begin breathing. The skin splits at a weak spot behind the head and the adult dragonfly crawls out of its old larval skin, pumps up its wings, and flies off to feed on midges and flies. The adult stage of larger species of dragonfly can last as long as five or six months.
Dragonflies experience incomplete metamorphosis: the nymphs (called naiads) swim and live underwater, like fish. The female dragonfly lays her fertilized eggs near or right in the water. The naiads – which do not look much like dragonflies at all – hatch and immediately take to the water.
While living in the water, the naiads gorge themselves on aquatic insects as well as other small living creatures like tadpoles and minnows. Hidden in the muck and mire, a naiad will lie in wait for little creatures to swim by. It can then squeeze water out of the rear of its abdomen like a jet stream. This propels the naiad forward very quickly, allowing it to snatch its prey with its powerful jaws. Some naiads even have a long lower jaw that can shoot out and grab prey.
These carnivorous nymphs live in the water for weeks (or even years in some species) and undergo a series of molts to grow. When a naiad is ready for its final molt, it finds a stick or other object projecting out of the water, crawls out of the water, and waits for its exoskeleton to dry. As the exoskeleton cracks open at the seam, the beautiful adult dragonfly crawls out.
In flight the adult dragonfly can propel itself in six directions; upward, downward, forward, back, and side to side.[9] Dragonflies have the ability to fly backward. They can also hover quite well in midair for as long as they like, and then they can take off at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. When scientists researched dragonflies' flying, they found out that it is because dragonflies can move each of their four wings independently. This special trick gives dragonflies wonderful flying abilities. Dragonflies bend and twist their wings in just the right way to cause little whirlwinds that move the air even faster over the upper part of the airfoil, reducing air pressure even more than most flying animals can. This, of course, gives them a lot of lift, even in the face of powerful winds.
Dragonflies have tremendous eyesight. It hard to catch one. Birds, kids, and entomologists alike have trouble catching dragonflies. Their compound eyes are very large and have up to 50,000 individual lenses. Their eyes, in fact, are so large that they wrap all the way around the top of the head. As a result, they can see almost everywhere at once. A dragonfly can still see you even after it flies by.
   | List of Anisoptera of the World - The page cannot be found |
| | Photos of most British species - Cheshire Odonata species list |
| | Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of the United States - Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of the United States |
| | Dragonflies of North America - diagnostic photos and information - Dragonflies and Damselflies - Order Odonata |
| | From Idea to Word: Folk Beliefs and Customs Underlying Folk Speech - JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie |
| | DragonflyIndia Group - DragonflyIndia : Dragonflies and Damselflies of India |
| | PHAON (Pinhey's Heritage African Odonata Network) - Introduction to Echo and Phaon |
| | Photos of South African species - Greg Lasley's African Dragonflies and Damselflies |
 | "Tiny tags trace dragonfly paths" - BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Tiny tags trace dragonfly paths |
| | Macro photos of dragonflies and damselflies - Photo Gallery of Dragonflies and Damselflies Odonata, Macro and Wildlife Photography - Macro Photo Images of Insects |
| | byways.org - America's Byways®: National Scenic Byways Online |
| | Dragonflies - The Dragonfly WebSite - FAQ |
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