Dragonfly - Introduction, Life Cycle, Types, Anatomy

If you are looking for a dragonfly life cycle, you have come to the right place!

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Dragonfly

• The dragonfly is a sizable, vibrant, predatory insect that typically lives in or close to water. Almost 5,000 different species of dragonflies have been identified, and based on fossil evidence, they may have existed for a very long time.
• An insect belonging to the Odonata suborder of the Anisoptera suborder is a dragonfly. They have two sets of translucent wings that let them fly upward, downward, forward, backwards, and side-to-side. They also have six legs, huge eyes, and long, slender, colourful bodies. They are adept fliers and usually only catch prey and consume food while flying.
• They occur in various colours, and their capacity to control other pests like termites, gnats, flies, and other flying insects in the population makes them primarily useful.

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Dragonfly Life Cycle

Egg

• Like an egg, the dragonfly begins its existence in or near water. The female dragonfly often continues to cling to the man after mating or lays eggs while he is shielding her from males or other predators. She will never lay her eggs by herself.
• The eggs are typically laid directly in the water, on or inside aquatic plants, or in the moist ground close to the water.
• In one to five weeks, depending on the species, they will usually hatch. A female can produce several thousand eggs in her lifespan, usually spread out over a few days or weeks in several batches.

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Nymph

• Little animals with six legs, wing sheaths, movable jaws, and the ability to breathe underwater will hatch from the eggs after they have been nurtured. Because this is their longest life stage, dragonflies spend most of their time underwater.
• Usually, these larvae will moult or shed their skin within a few hours to make room for future growth.
• Additionally, they will moult as many times as necessary to reach full size, occasionally moulting up to 14 times. Depending on the species and environment, larval growth can take two months to one or two years.
• There may be more than one generation yearly in some areas depending on whether the eggs are laid in a warm climate with enough food or in a region with a cool climate and limited food.

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Adult

• Adulthood is initiated by a key dragonfly lifecycle event called Emergence. In contrast to butterflies, dragonflies do not go through a coconut stage in their life cycle and become adults after a last moulting period outside of water.
• The larva, in its final stages, will assemble around the water's edge for a few days in preparation for its last moult. During this period, it will also learn how to breathe air. The length of the day and the temperature cause this to happen, and it might differ between species.
• When the dragonfly larva is ready to search for vegetation to prepare to emerge as an adult, it will fly to the air. Some may travel up to several metres over dry land to find a suitable location with enough support to keep them safe during their final moult before becoming adults.
• When they choose the ideal location, they begin the emerging process by shifting the fluids in their bodies. This is no easy task; they must carefully pry their newly formed body from the old shell of their larval selves, giving the new body adequate time between each piece to dry and harden before continuing. An exuvia, a cast shell of their previous selves, is left behind after this procedure, lasting between one and three hours.
• Newly hatched dragoons typically have shiny wings and are quite pale. They will hunt and eat other flying insects as frequently as possible during this period, spending roughly a week foraging beneath the surface to prepare for adulthood.

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Types of Dragonflies

• Clubtail Dragonfly: Gomphidae or club tail dragonflies are frequently spotted around water sources in North America. About 100 different species of club-tail dragonflies exist. Although each individual of this species has distinct traits, most of them all have a club-shaped tail. They are sometimes referred to as blade-tail dragonflies.
• Skimmer Dragonfly: Skimmers, an umbrella category that includes about 105 species of the dragonfly family Libellulidae, are frequently observed in North America. The largest dragonfly family in North America is the Libellulidae, and skimmers comprise a significant portion of its population. Perchers is another term for skimmers. They got their name because they enjoy perching on plants and vegetables in the sunshine.
• Spiketail Dragonfly: The common name for the Cordulegastridae family of dragonflies is spiketails. Spiketails are among the least numerous genera of dragonflies. The entire genus has only eight or nine species in the United States. These dragonflies are usually quite huge and have long bodies. They have a remarkable brilliant yellow pattern on their brown or black abdomen.
• Emerald Dragonfly: The family Corduliidae includes emerald dragonflies, also known as emeralds. They are widespread throughout most of the United States and get their name from their eye-catching emerald green colour.
• Petaltail Dragonfly: Petaltail dragonflies also receive their name from the shape of their long, straight tails, which resemble petals. The Petaluridae family of dragonflies, which is thought to be the oldest of the dragonfly families, includes these dragonflies (approximately 150 million years).
• Tigertail Dragonfly: The common name for dragonflies in the Sythemistidae family is tiger tails. The family contains roughly 43 species, with tiger tails being a unique subgroup. The species of the corduliidae and gomphidae dragonfly families are strikingly similar to tiger-tail dragonflies. The abdomens of these little dragonflies are slender. Tiger-tail dragonflies, one of the oldest species, are most frequently spotted in Australia and New Guinea.

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Dragonfly Anatomy

• Abdomen: The abdomen is a segmented tail-like body portion.
• Antennae: On top of the head are two sensory organs called antennae.
• Cercus: On anisopteran larvae, the cercus is the outer pair of anal appendages.
• Costa: A significant vein that runs along the leading edge of the wings is called a costa.
• Epiproct: The middle anal appendage of anisopteran larvae is called an epiproct.
• Femur: The initial part of the leg is called the femur.
• Frons: The frons is the most noticeable feature of anisopteran dragonflies' faces.
• Lateral spine: The side of anisopteran larvae has a spine called a lateral spine.
• Pterostigma: A colourful, chitinous patch outside each wing is called a pterostigma.
• Tarsus: The three segments and claws at the end of the leg are called the tarsus.
• Thorax: The area of the body between the head and the abdomen is called the thorax.
• Tibia: The second part of the leg is called the tibia.
• Wing node: A notch halfway along a wing's leading edge.
• Wing sheath: The wings' protective covering.

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