Dragonflies

[joeincan]

While sitting on the patio this afternoon I witnessed the swarming of dragonflies. There were hundreds of them. I saw some of my young fledgelings flying above them but it didn't seem they were feeding. Although on dragonfly would probably fill them up.
I googled dragonfly and found out they are very beneficial because they eat mosquito larvae while young and mosquitoes after they start to fly. They only live about a month, and thats when they mate.

[Linda Reynolds]

Joe, I have observed that the parent martins capture dragonflies, and think of the capture as a *Happy Meal*, offering the most to their young with one capture.

When nestlings are not present, I notice dragonflies flying through the colony and the martins pay them no attention. I do not believe adult martins capture dragonflies and sit on a limb and munch away. I think dragonflies are a quick and large source of food for the youngsters, and when feeding nestlings, that is when they need and use them the most..

[Fred Kaluza~MI]

They migrate just like songbirds. I suspect they engage in somrthing akin to "roosting" behavior as well. When the local climate starts to change in a way that prevents local life from carrying on, the choice is clear, hibernate, die or migrate. Did you know that squirrels migrate (or at least used to) also?

[pugsleyhall]

Hello Friends!

We have had the most dragonflies ever this year, also butterflies in abundance. With the intense heat, they make it a little more bearable.

Melissa