Dragonfly (General Identification)

Found globally near freshwater sources like ponds, lakes, and marshes; often seen in gardens and backyards near vegetation.

Carnivorous predators that eat other insects in flight, including mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and smaller dragonflies.

Expert aerialists capable of hovering and backwards flight; they undergo a multi-stage life cycle with aquatic nymphs that eventually emerge to molt into flying adults.

Highly beneficial to humans and ecosystems as a biological control for mosquito populations; they do not sting and generally do not bite humans unless handled roughly.