Bug Identifier
Dragonfly
Community identification

Dragonfly

Anisoptera

Order & Family
Order: Odonata
Size
2 to 5 inches (5 to 13 cm) in wingspan.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Near freshwater habitats such as ponds, lakes, streams, and marshes.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivorous, feeding primarily on flying insects like mosquitoes, flies, and midges, both as aquatic nymphs and flying adults.

Behavior Patterns

Exceptional aerial predators capable of hovering, flying backward, and reaching high speeds. They spend their larval stage underwater before emerging as winged adults.

Risks & Benefits

Completely harmless to humans (do not sting and rarely bite). They are beneficial as natural pest controllers, significantly reducing populations of mosquitoes and other biting pests.