KINGDOM: Animalia | PHYLUM: Arthropoda | CLASS: Insecta | ORDER: Odonata
SUBORDER: Anisoptera (dragonflies)

Dragonflies have incomplete metamorphosis.  After hatching from eggs, dragonfly naiads live and grow underwater.  When they are ready to become winged adults, naiads climb to the surface of the water, usually on a plant stem or an exposed rock, and shed their skins.  Adults are active in the spring, summer, or fall, depending on the species.  Dragonflies mate in mid-air.  Most female dragonflies dip their abdomens into water to deposit eggs; others insert the eggs into the stems of underwater plants.

Immature and adult dragonflies are important predators in pond and stream ecosystems.  The aquatic naiads feed voraciously on minnows, tadpoles, aquatic insects, and other small, live prey.  Dragonfly naiads are primarily ambush predators: they find a strategic spot on an underwater leaf or under a rock.  When a victim gets close, the naiad snags it with harpoon-like extendable jaws.  In turn, dragonfly naiads are eaten by many fish species.  

Jaws of a dragonfly naiad, family Libellulidae (B. Newton, 2004)

Adult dragonflies are also predators.  They are fantastic fliers, able to swerve, dive, and quickly change directions to catch flying insects in mid-air.

Dragonfly naiads are a food source for fish, aquatic spiders, and other aquatic insects (including larger dragonfly naiads).  Adult dragonflies are sometimes eaten by birds and web-building spiders.

Dragonflies are not considered pests. They are typically considered beneficial because they eat mosquitoes and other pests.

DARNERS
FAMILY: Aeshnidae
Pictured below is the Green Darner, Anax junius.  Darners are some of the most commonly encountered dragonflies in Kentucky, especially near ponds. They are also among our largest dragonflies, at over 3".  Green darners have clear wings, a green thorax, and an abdomen that is often bright blue.  A few other types of darners are also found in Kentucky.  Most are similar in size and appearance.

COMMON SKIMMERS
FAMILY: Libellulidae
Kentucky is home to several common species of Common Skimmers.  Common skimmers are fast fliers, and they are usually seen zipping up and down the sides of streams and creeks.  Skimmers often have bold white-and-black or blue-and-black patterns on their bodies and wings.  Most common skimmers have bodies between 1 - 2 ½" long.  The nymph of a common skimmer dragonfly is pictured above in the Life Cycle section.

Pictured below are the female (left) and male (right) Common Whitetail Skimmer, Libellula lydia.  This species is very common in Kentucky.

Dragonfly naiads and adults are a challenge to collect.  You must have an aerial insect net (and super-human patience) if you want any hope of catching a dragonfly on the wing.  Catching naiads usually requires an aquatic insect net.  Try dipping in parts of ponds and streams where a lot of aquatic vegetation is growing.

Even if you just want a picture, it's difficult to get close to a dragonfly. Dragonflies are beautiful photography subjects, but their quickness makes it a challenge to snap a good picture.  Make sure to use a fast film speed in bright daylight.  Also: try looking for dragonflies early on cool summer mornings - they may be found "warming up" on plants, and will not be so quick to fly away.

Dragonfly naiads are a fun addition to a freshwater aquarium (as long as you don't mind them eating your expensive tropical fish!).  Read about insects in the home aquarium in our on-line article.

Dragonflies can beat their four wings at different speeds and hold them at different angles. This allows them to fly in any direction and also to hover in place like a helicopter.

While most aquatic insects have gills on the outside of their abdomens, dragonfly naiads have their gills on the inside.  They use abdominal muscles to move water into and out of their abdomens to breath.  This same action can also be used to "jet propel" a dragonfly naiad away from danger.

Because fish like to eat dragonflies, fishermen have special lures that are designed to look and move like dragonfly naiads.  Fly fishermen use lures designed to fly through the air like adult dragonflies.

People once believed that dragonflies were able to "sew up" a persons lips or ears. This may be the reason why some dragonflies are called "darners"; a "darner" is also a kind of knitting needle.

Kentuckian Earlane Cox has often heard dragonflies referred to as "snake feeders" or "snake doctors."  Apparently, these nick names stem from the belief that dragonflies caught insects for snakes or otherwise helped care for snakes, including helping to raise baby snakes.