Perhaps you will not find facts about dragonflies so very interesting and I hereby beg your pardon for taking the liberty of imagining you will.
However! As I was researching a bit for my Dragonfly Days post, I discovered some really nifty facts that didn’t fall into the information I needed. So, here I am, with all kinds of new-found knowledge about dragonflies and no really good use for it.
What better way to share than to write a blog post! I know that dragonflies are everywhere these days, so here are some pieces of trivia to think about as you watch these lovely jewels zoom around your backyard…
- Dragonflies are the fastest recorded insects. Claims have been made that one was clocked at 60+ m/p/h. However, average speed for dragonflies is 20-34 m/p/h. Fast enough.
- Dragonflies have an internal temperature of as high as 110 degrees F. Wow! They cannot fly until their bodies reach a certain temperature and must be careful not to overheat in hot climates.
- Dragonflies can bite a human finger! Won’t happen often. In fact, it’s far more likely that you will be bitten by a dragonfly nymph. The nymph has powerful jaws that are capable of eating small fish and tadpoles.
- In Japan, dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength and happiness. European lore considers dragonflies as evil. In Indonesia, dragonflies are caught on sticks and fried as a delicacy!
- Belong to the order Odonata. Hobbyists are called oders.
Great resources for further research into dragonflies:
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/ponds/79043-dragonfly-behavior.html
Darlene Bonelli said:
I had to take entymology in college and I learned that dragonflies are actually studied by the military for their aviation skills. Some planes are designed to fly like dragonflies! They really are amazing prehistoric insects!
Panama foundation said:
Immature dragonflies have six spindly legs and a body that is only a few times longer than it is wide. They breathe water through gills in their abdomen and can squirt this water out fast to give themselves a quick jet-propelled movement.Adult dragonflies are easy to recognize.
Pingback: Video of Dragonflies Catching Prey in Flight | The Trailmix.Net Blog