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Although dragonflies are swift and agile fliers, some predators are fast enough to catch them. These include falcons such as the American kestrel , the merlin , [ 82 ] and the hobby ; [ 83 ] nighthawks , swifts , flycatchers and swallows also take some adults; some species of wasps, too, prey on dragonflies, using them to provision their nests ...
Odonata is an order of predatory flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies (as well as the Epiophlebia damsel-dragonflies). The two major groups are distinguished with dragonflies (Anisoptera) usually being bulkier with large compound eyes together and wings spread up or out at rest, while damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are usually more slender with eyes placed apart and ...
Like true dragonflies, they were presumably predators. A few nymphs are also known, and show mouthparts similar to those of modern dragonfly nymphs, suggesting that they were also active aquatic predators. [3] Although sometimes included under the dragonflies, the Meganisoptera lack certain distinctive wing features that characterise the Odonata.
Libellula quadrimaculata, known in Europe as the four-spotted chaser and in North America as the four-spotted skimmer, is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae found widely throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. The adult stage is found between April and early September in the United Kingdom, and from mid-May to mid-August in Ireland.
Meganeura is a genus of extinct insects from the Late Carboniferous (approximately 300 million years ago). It is a member of the extinct order Meganisoptera, which are closely related to and resemble dragonflies and damselflies (with dragonflies, damselflies and meganisopterans being part of the broader group Odonatoptera).
The naiads live in the debris of the bottoms of lakes and ponds. They do not actively pursue prey but wait for it to pass by, a strategy which affords them protection from other predators. The naiads emerge from the water to make the transition to adult dragonflies at night. Adults fly from early August through October.
Dragonflies have thus come to exemplify spiritual awakening, enlightenment and clarity, particularly for Christians. But there's much more to unpack around the dragonfly's spiritual meaning ...
Common worldwide or nearly worldwide genera are Aeshna and Anax. Anax includes some of the largest dragonflies, including the North American A. walsinghami, Hawaiian A. strenuus, European A. imperator and A. immaculifrons, and African A. tristis, but these are all exceeded by another member of the family, the Asian Tetracanthagyna plagiata, which by wingspan and weight is the world's largest ...