Dragonfly

 


Dragonflies (order Odonata, suborder Anisoptera) have existed for over 300 million years, even before dinosaurs

Dragonflies have independent wing control, meaning they can move their front and back wings separately for precise and agile flight. this enables them to hover, fly backwards, sideways, and even upside down!

Dragonflies are expert hunters that catch and eat mosquitoes, flies, and other small insects on the wing, making them natural pest controllers
They are among the fastest flying insects, reaching speeds of 35 mph (56 km/h).

They spend most of their life as aquatic nymphs (larvae) in water, sometimes for years. As nymphs, they are fierce underwater predators, eating tadpoles, small fish, and insects. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (no pupal stage), emerging directly as flying adults.

Dragonflies have nearly 360-degree vision due to their large compound eyes, which have up to 30,000 tiny lenses (ommatidia). They can detect movement faster than humans and even see ultraviolet (UV) light!


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