Sounds like a title for a fantasy fiction novel, but the plotline is playing itself out right here on our little island.

Summertime is a time for winged things.  If you’re a bird enthusiast, you may have been spending time admiring the assortment of feathered friends at your feeder, soaring the skies above, or wading in the shorelines.  Spending time at Mac’s Pond on IslandWood’s campus, I have been seeing the transparent wings of a different sort. 

Dragonflies are those elongated, zippy, airplane-looking insects you see flying above and around ponds, lakes or pools.  They are most often found near these wetlands, because that’s where the larvae grew up - and they are munching on some serious insect chow as adults. 

Dragonfly myths debunked!

-Dragonflies live only for one day.

Nope.  Their lifespan can be anywhere from 6 months to 5 years!

-Dragonflies can sew up your lips with a stinger! (What?!)

This of course is not true, as dragonflies have no stinger and sew even more infrequently than I do.  This is why the Green Darner dragonfly has its name by the way.  Darning is sewing.  I learned that from reading old books.

What is thought of as a “stinger,” is actually called a clasper.  It’s a projection at the end of the dragonfly’s abdomen which holds the male and female together in their fancy wheely mating trick.  You’ll know it if you see it - two dragonflies attached together at the rump are doing exactly what it looks like.

At Mac’s Pond I keep seeing this dragonfly-esque insect that looks like an electric blue toothpick.  This is called a damselfly, aka, bluets.  Check out how this resting damselfly holds its wings together in line with its stick-like body.  This is your major fieldmark behavior. 

Bottom line:

Dragonflies and Damselflies are cousins.

Wings out like an airplane when resting = dragonfly.

Wings together in line with body when resting = damselfly.

Where can I find my own damsels and dragons?

Look for them wherever fantasy creatures are sold.  Ah, just kidding.  Any wetland will do- pond, marsh, etc...

 For more on pond life, and other critters join us for a Seasonal Discovery Hike, part of our EnviroExplorations series.  For details go to www.islandwood.org/events