Dragonfly Nymph (Exuvia)
Scientific Name: Infraorder Anisoptera
Order & Family: Order Odonata, Family various (e.g., Libellulidae or Aeshnidae)
Size: 1 to 5 cm in length depending on species and growth stage.
Natural Habitat
Freshwater environments such as ponds, lakes, marshes, and slow-moving streams.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous; they eat aquatic insects, tadpoles, small fish, and mosquito larvae using a hinged labium.
Behavior Patterns
Aquatic predators that live underwater for months to years; they eventually crawl out onto vegetation or sticks to molt into their winged adult form, leaving behind the cast skin (exuvia) seen in the image.
Risks & Benefits
Highly beneficial to humans as they are prolific predators of mosquito larvae; they pose no risk to humans but serve as important indicators of water quality.
Identified on: 4/25/2026