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Summer days in my childhood were lazy affairs, spent poking around in the woods and wetlands of the Northwest.  We had a favorite place to dawdle--a marshy pond that simply hummed with activity: croaking frogs that would splash into the water as we walked by; robins feeding their chirping chicks; the sleepy buzz of bumblebees; delicate, iridescent blues puddling on the shore.

And dragonflies--huge, brilliantly colored in blue or green (sometimes red), with shimmering, transparent wings and bulging eyes.  As they darted about in search of insect prey, they both fascinated and frightened us.  We knew they were called darning needles, and that we shouldn't let them near our ears, eyes or mouths.  And yet, they were irresistibly attractive!  Today's kids apparently don't view dragonflies with the same hesitation.  Recently, Washington schoolchildren successfully lobbied to make the Common Green Darner (Anax junius) the state insect.

Over history, dragonflies have been given imaginative nicknames in virtually every culture where they occur.  Some of these names have influenced the common names we use today, such as darner (presumably derived from darning needle), pondhawk and meadowhawk.  Dragonflies have also been called snake feeder, horse stinger, balance fly, water dipper, devil's horse, devil's needle, water witch, blind stinger and hobgoblin fly.  Their fierce demeanor, both as adults and as aquatic larvae, undoubtedly gains them the name dragonfly, while their daintier counterparts are called damselflies.

So why is the notion of stinging or stitching up naughty children's mouths so prevalent?  Before dismissing the idea as a wives' tale, talk to a few scientists who have been pinched by nymphs' sharp jaws or stabbed by their appendages.  Dennis Paulson, author of Dragonflies of Washington, says, "I've become quite careful about how I hold adult female aeshnids.  I've had several clearly attempt defense by trying to insert their ovipositor into me while I was holding them.  That's how I interpreted it; perhaps they were merely continuing their oviposition behavior!"  Paulson admits that the "sting" from these female darners packs a painful punch.

Unlike most animals, dragonflies haven't changed much during the last few million years.  Fossils of two-foot-long dragonflies have been found in the Midwest.  Dating from the Paleozoic era (250 million years ago), they show a marked similarity to present-day insects.  Fortunately for us, dragonflies now top out at about five inches, with North American species measuring two to four inches in length.

Dragonflies and damselflies belong to the order Odonata ("tooth-jawed").  The suborder Anisoptera contains dragonflies, which hold their wings outstretched from their stout bodies while resting.  Damselflies, in the suborder Zygoptera, are generally smaller and hold their wings against the body while resting.  Of the 5,500 species in the world, about 450 occur in North America.

Dragonflies and damselflies are considered more primitive than butterflies because their metamorphosis consists of only three stages: egg, larva (also called nymph or naiad) and adult.  Unlike a butterfly larva, the aquatic nymph resembles its adult form, especially as it begins to form wing buds during its dozen-or-so molts.

Newly-mated females lay eggs in the water, in plant tissue or on pieces of wood in ponds and small streams.  Within a day or so, the next generation hatches and begins the longest stage of its life cycle as a nymph.

In its underwater world, the nymph is a fierce predator of aquatic insects, crustaceans, tadpoles, even small fish.  It may hide in pond mud or leaf litter, watching through its already-huge eyes for movement.  At lightning speed, it shoots out its lower lip, a grisly affair that skewers unwary prey.

Nymphs of most species overwinter in the debris at the bottom of a pond; some large dragonflies remain nymphs for two or more years.  In spring, the developing nymph goes through a feeding frenzy and rests for a few days on an underwater plant stalk.  It then crawls up the stalk, above waterline, and sheds its skin one last time to become an air-breathing adult.  Darners and other large dragonflies often emerge at night, when they are safer from predators.  Damsel-flies and some skimmers come out in the daytime.  Look for the shed skin (exuvia) on plant stems.

The first few weeks of the new adult's life will be spent far afield, in search of insect prey.  Dragonflies are aerial hunters, while damselflies dart through lower vegetation looking for insects on the plants.  They will return to the water's edge to mate, during the last week or so of their lives.

An adult dragonfly is a superb visual predator, responding instantly to movement.  Its enormous compound eyes, curved around its head, allow 360-degree vision.  A narrow "neck" (the prothorax, containing the first set of legs) gives the head an unusual amount of mobility.  The short antennae may function as flight-speed indicators.

The much larger synthorax holds four legs and an impressive set of flight muscles connected to four veined, membranous wings.  These wings can move independently, allowing the dragonfly to perform astonishing aerial maneuvers, such as hovering and backing up.  Watch a dragonfly (if you can follow it!) swoop through the air, catching insects with its spiny legs.  The victims may be held within a "basket" made by the legs, then carved up by the dragonfly's mandibles and eaten--while it is still in flight.

Ten segments on the insect's long abdomen give it flexibility to bend into the unique "wheel" position formed by a mating couple.  Dragonfly mating is not a simple end-to-end affair, nor is courtship a tender experience for the female.  Males, first to reach the pond or stream, engage in territorial disputes, flying up together in a furious whir of wings.  A female is attacked upon arrival by would-be suitors.  The dominant male grabs her head with an appendage at the end of his abdomen.  The two fly in tandem, while the male transfers sperm to his upper abdomen.  Finally, the female curves her abdomen up to receive the sperm, forming a two-insect loop.  The male protects her as she lays eggs in the water, probably to ensure that his sperm aren't displaced by those of another suitor.

Most people know about the Monarch's spectacular migration to Mexico and the California coast, but it's a less well-known fact that dragonfly migrations occur in North America.  About a dozen species of North American dragonflies are known migrators, including the Common Green Darner, Rainpool Gliders (Pantala spp.) and Saddlebag Gliders (Tramea spp.).

They can be a spectacular sight in autumn, when dragonflies congregate to fly south in massive numbers.  Watch for them along the East Coast at sites that concentrate migrant birds, such as Cape Cod and Cape May, New Jersey.  Migrations have also been observed in the Great Lakes region and along the Oregon coast.  Some northward migrations occur during springtime, but they are less visible.

Scientists still have much to learn about dragonfly migration.  It is believed that mass movements are weather-related.  They may also be due to a sudden, large hatch of adults, which disperse in search of food.  There is also the power of suggestion, pulling insects into a huge swarm; dragonflies are sometimes seen flying in large numbers with south-migrating Painted Ladies.  Volunteers are needed to assist the North American Dragonfly Migration Project (see resource list).

Is it a good idea to invite these consummate hunters into the butterfly garden?  Sidney Dunkle, author of Dragonflies through Binoculars, says, "The only dragonfly visitors to a backyard pond that might prey on butterflies are the Eastern and Western Pondhawks (Erythemis simplicicollis, E. collocata).  I have seen these eat skippers and small moths, even attack dragonflies larger than themselves."

Dragonflies and damselflies are a lot more likely to partake of nuisance bugs like mosquitoes and gnats, making them welcome visitors on summer afternoons.  They are, in turn, preyed upon by swallows, kingbirds, redwing blackbirds, small hawks, spiders and mantids.  Females are vulnerable to turtles, frogs and fish while laying eggs at the water's surface.  A diverse backyard habitat will attract a healthy mix of predators and prey.

Dragonflies may visit your yard as they travel for miles in search of insects.  A few enhancements will add greatly to its appeal.  Provide a sunny area with perches for the insects (2-3' bamboo stakes, poking out of the ground at a slight angle).  Fill your garden with small bugs by planting beneficial-insect plants like dill or parsley.

In Davis, California, Gary Zamzow noted an increase in dragonflies when he replaced his lawn with butterfly plants--a move that brought in many other insects.  He leaves out banana peels and other fruit scraps to attract fruit flies, a protein source for dragonflies and for nesting hummingbirds.

Zamzow also has three wine-barrel ponds in his garden, which visiting dragonflies patrol.  He allows mosquitoes to breed in the barrels, providing a food source for nymphs and adult dragonflies.  [If mosquitoes are a problem, put a B.t. "dunk" in the water, or install nest boxes for swallows and bats.]

The pond should be sunny for most of the day, with some aquatic vegetation and no fish.  Favored shallow-water plants include sweet flag (Acorus calamus) and narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia).  At water's edge, plant Siberian iris (Iris sibirica), marsh goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) to attract a diversity of insects.  Let mud and leaf debris accumulate at the bottom of the pond, to provide cover and an overwintering site for nymphs.

Keep in mind that there must be nearby habitat for dragonflies and damselflies before any will find their way into your garden.  Eastern states are far richer in odonate species and abundance than are western states (especially desert areas).  Destruction of natural wetlands spells disaster for resident and migrating birds and insects.  Easy to spot, dragonflies are important ecological indicators of an existing wetland's health.

Small losses, such as the filling in of a vernal pond, reduce gathering places and isolate populations of amphibians and insects.  While backyard ponds can't replace this habitat, they can provide critical links in wildlife corridors.

And they are the site of endless wonder for the humans who tend them.  Kathy Biggs, author of Dragonflies of California, says, "I have always thought of butterflies emerging from their chrysalids as a real miracle.  But how much more so it is for the dragonfly who changes within one hour from an underwater nymph to a flying, air-breathing creature.  When one is perched I can sometimes approach it quietly and get to within inches of it.  Then I can watch the body expand and contract with each breath and marvel at the beauty of the color, especially the eyes."

North American Dragonflies:
Common Green Darner (Anax junius). Green thorax, blue abdomen; clear wings.  3" long with 4" wingspan. Habitat: ponds, slow streams. Fast flyer; migrates. Range: across N.A.

Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis). Green thorax, brown-spotted green abdomen; clear wings.  1-1/2" long with 2-1/2" wingspan. Habitat: ponds. Preys on larger insects, including damselflies. Range: eastern U.S.

Western Pondhawk (E. collocata). Male is blue; female yellow-green.  Clear wings. 1-1/2" long with 2-1/2" wingspan. Habitat: ponds. Rests on bare ground. Range: western U.S.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella). Brown thorax, grayish or brown abdomen; clear wings with vertical bands of brown and white (more pronounced on male).  2" long with 3" wingspan. Habitat: ponds. Likes to rest on lily pads. Range: most of U.S.

North American Damselflies:
Northern Bluet (Enallagma cyathigerum). Blue with black bands on abdomen; clear wings that are narrow at base. To 1-1/2" long. Habitat: ponds and marshy lakeshores. Preys on aphids and small insects. Range: Northeast, West.

River Jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis). Male metallic green; female shiny black. Broad, rounded wings have wide black tip (male) or all black with white dot on top (female); held above body when at rest. Habitat: slow streams. Flight resembles butterfly. Range: West.

Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener). Male dark brown with yellowish markings; female reddish-brown. Broad, clear wings. 1-1/2" long. Habitat: ponds, stream edges. Perch on grasses near pond. Range: Northeast, West.

Resource List:
Biggs, Kathy.  Common Dragonflies and Damselflies of
  California.  $10.95.  http://www.sonic.net/dragonfly/
  azaleaforth.html
British Dragonfly Society.  http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk.
  Two booklets online: Dig a Pond for Dragonflies,
  Managing Habitats for Dragonflies.
Carpenter, Ginger.  Dragonflies and Damselflies of Cape
  Cod.  $10.95 from Cape Cod Museum of Natural History,
  PO Box 1710, Brewster, MA 02631; (508) 896-3867.
Dragonfly Society of the Americas.  c/o T. Donnelly, 2091
  Partridge Lane, Binghamton, NY 13903.
Dunkle, Sidney.  Dragonflies through Binoculars.  $29.95.
  Oxford University Press, 2000.
International Odonata Research Institute.  http://
  gnv.ifas.ufl.edu/~entweb/draghome.htm
Legler, Karl and Dorothy, Dave Westover.  A Color Guide to
  Common Dragonflies of Wisconsin.  $19.95 ppd. Send
  check payable to Karl Legler, 429 Franklin St., Sauk City,
  WI 53583-1228.  http://userpages.itis.com/karlndot/
North American Dragonfly Migration Project.  http://
  members.bellatlantic.net/~dbarber/migrant/mig.html.  Ken
  Soltesz, PO Box 62, S. Salem, NY 10590; (9140 763-8615.
  kss4@co.westchester.ny.us.
Paulson, Dennis.  Dragonflies of Washington.  $6.50.  Seattle
  Audubon Society, 8050 35th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115;
  (206) 523-4483.
 

Copyright 2000 by Claire Hagen Dole.  Please request permission to reprint.
 

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