About the Dragonfly
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Anisoptera
Anisoptera, commonly called the Dragonfly, are found worldwide and have approximately 5,000 species. The Dragonfly is a predatory insect usually found near water. The Dragonfly is a carnivorous insect that feeds on mosquitoes, flies, bees, and other small invertebrates. The insects are characterized by a long body shape and large transparent wings.
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Anisoptera
Anisoptera, commonly called the Dragonfly, are found worldwide and have approximately 5,000 species. The Dragonfly is a predatory insect usually found near water. The Dragonfly is a carnivorous insect that feeds on mosquitoes, flies, bees, and other small invertebrates. The insects are characterized by a long body shape and large transparent wings.
Mating:
Male Dragonflies are competitive over preferred breeding and mating sites and only the dominant males will get the opportunity to mate. Before the male chooses a mate, he will transfer sperm from his testes, which are located on the underside of the ninth abdominal segment to his hamulus, which is located on the underside of the second and third segments. The male then initiates mating when he uses his legs to grasp the female’s head and thorax. While connected, the Dragonflies will fly to the treetops in order to safely mate.
Male Dragonflies are competitive over preferred breeding and mating sites and only the dominant males will get the opportunity to mate. Before the male chooses a mate, he will transfer sperm from his testes, which are located on the underside of the ninth abdominal segment to his hamulus, which is located on the underside of the second and third segments. The male then initiates mating when he uses his legs to grasp the female’s head and thorax. While connected, the Dragonflies will fly to the treetops in order to safely mate.
Guarding:
After the Dragonflies are done mating, some species stay together through egg lying while others part ways. If the male stays while the female is laying her eggs, he is guarding her from the competition or predators. One form of guarding is contact guarding in which the male stays attached to the female throughout the entire egg laying process. A second form of guarding is hover guarding in which the male hovers over the female through the egg laying process. A third form of guarding is karate guarding in which the male clasps a trespassing male and holds him until the female has laid her eggs.
After the Dragonflies are done mating, some species stay together through egg lying while others part ways. If the male stays while the female is laying her eggs, he is guarding her from the competition or predators. One form of guarding is contact guarding in which the male stays attached to the female throughout the entire egg laying process. A second form of guarding is hover guarding in which the male hovers over the female through the egg laying process. A third form of guarding is karate guarding in which the male clasps a trespassing male and holds him until the female has laid her eggs.
Egg Laying:
Just like there are multiple guarding techniques, there are also multiple egg laying techniques. Females may insert their eggs into plant stems, sphagnum moss, rotting wood, or wet soil using their ovipositors, but most species do not have working ovipositors. If a female does not have working ovipositors, the eggs must be washed off into water during flight as the Dragonfly dips her abdomen into the water source. Another method of egg laying by females in flight is to use special flanges to open the genital opening so that the water will splash the eggs out into the water source. Some species also dip their abdomens into mud or silt to deposit the eggs or sprinkle their eggs over a suitable habitat.
Just like there are multiple guarding techniques, there are also multiple egg laying techniques. Females may insert their eggs into plant stems, sphagnum moss, rotting wood, or wet soil using their ovipositors, but most species do not have working ovipositors. If a female does not have working ovipositors, the eggs must be washed off into water during flight as the Dragonfly dips her abdomen into the water source. Another method of egg laying by females in flight is to use special flanges to open the genital opening so that the water will splash the eggs out into the water source. Some species also dip their abdomens into mud or silt to deposit the eggs or sprinkle their eggs over a suitable habitat.
Larval Stage:
The Dragonfly begins its life as what is known as a drab. A drab is the life stage of a Dragonfly that is spent as an underwater larva. Dragonflies undergo incomplete metamorphosis, meaning that there is no pupal life stage. The egg hatches and an aquatic larva emerges, molts, and then beings to hunt. The larva molts multiple time as it grows and remains in this stage for anywhere from one to three years. Before becoming an adult Dragonfly, the larva will go into a state of rest known as diapause. During diapause, the larva makes its final changes.
The Dragonfly begins its life as what is known as a drab. A drab is the life stage of a Dragonfly that is spent as an underwater larva. Dragonflies undergo incomplete metamorphosis, meaning that there is no pupal life stage. The egg hatches and an aquatic larva emerges, molts, and then beings to hunt. The larva molts multiple time as it grows and remains in this stage for anywhere from one to three years. Before becoming an adult Dragonfly, the larva will go into a state of rest known as diapause. During diapause, the larva makes its final changes.
Adult Stage:
The full transition from larva to adult usually occurs early in the morning while attached to a vertical or diagonal surface such as a plant stem or tree trunk. The larva hooks its claws into the surface and the skin on the back of the head breaks open so the thorax of the Dragonfly can emerge. Eventually the skin will completely break open so that the head, compressed wings, legs, and part of the abdomen can emerge as well. At this point the Dragonfly rests again while it hangs from the portion of it’s abdomen that has not emerged yet. This period of rest allows the legs to harden so that eventually it can pull the remainder of its abdomen free. The Dragonfly is full grown at this point.
The full transition from larva to adult usually occurs early in the morning while attached to a vertical or diagonal surface such as a plant stem or tree trunk. The larva hooks its claws into the surface and the skin on the back of the head breaks open so the thorax of the Dragonfly can emerge. Eventually the skin will completely break open so that the head, compressed wings, legs, and part of the abdomen can emerge as well. At this point the Dragonfly rests again while it hangs from the portion of it’s abdomen that has not emerged yet. This period of rest allows the legs to harden so that eventually it can pull the remainder of its abdomen free. The Dragonfly is full grown at this point.