Lexington, KY - Dragonflies are fascinating. Their images are all over my office and even adorn my business cards. I am delighted to see them around our small backyard pond, perfectly posed on a blade of ornamental grass or hovering in mid air before darting off, their color seeming to glow from within.
My interest was nurtured at a recent wildflower weekend at the wonderful Pine Mountain Settlement School, located in the mountains of Appalachia in southeastern Kentucky (www.pinemountainsettlementschool.com). The Friday night speaker was Ellis Laudermilk, an invertebrate zoologist with the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission (KSNPC has an excellent Web site at www.naturepreserves.ky.gov). Ellis has parlayed his love of dragonflies and damselflies into a career and he is utterly enthusiastic about these lovely creatures.
As Laudermilk explained, "The KSNPC tracks and monitors rare, threatened and endangered species." He told me that each state uses the same computerized tracking system, which means that countrywide data can be compiled. Species in each state are classed from S1 to S5. An S1 classification indicates that a species is critically imperiled within that state, S2 indicates that the species is imperiled, S3 means it is vulnerable, S4 is apparently secure and S5 means the species is common. There is also a global scale, from G1 to G5. A species could be classed as S1 in Kentucky (meaning that it is critically imperiled in our state) and G4 globally, for example, meaning that it is apparently secure worldwide.
Odonates by any other name
Dragonflies and damselflies belong to the order Odonata, meaning "toothed jaws." There are about 5,500 species globally, with approximately 156 of these making a home in Kentucky.
Certain physical features identify most odonates: membranous wings, extremely large eyes in proportion to their head size, a long, slender abdomen and very small antennae. There are, however, clear differences between dragonflies (anisoptera) and damselflies (zygoptera).
Got mosquitoes?
Odonates generally deposit their eggs in or around water. Most of their life is spent in the larval stage, during which they molt many times. Finally, the larva crawls up out of the water, undergoes metamorphosis, and emerges as an adult with functional wings. The adults live for several weeks, hunting, eating and even mating on the fly. Adults of various species can be seen in Kentucky from April to November.
Dragonflies and damselflies are predacious both as larvae and as adults. "They occupy a unique niche as both air and water predators," notes Laudermilk. "In the larval stage, spent in the water, they devour mosquito larvae and other aquatic life. As adults, they are tremendous fliers. They can rotate their wings independently to alter flight quickly. They feed on black flies, mosquitoes and other pest species."
If you build it, they will come
The National Wildlife Federation Web site contains some excellent information about building a pond that will attract dragonflies and damselflies to your backyard. Check it out: www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/dragonflies.cfm.
I learned something important from this Web site: If you want breeding populations of dragonflies in your pond, it's probably best not to introduce fish, because they will prey on the larvae and eggs. My husband loves the fish, I love the dragonflies. Stay tunedÖ
Suggested reading
For those of you who wish to learn more, Laudermilk recommends that you read "Dragonflies & Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast" by Giff Beaton.
Dragonflies and damselflies have managed to survive virtually unchanged for 300 million years, but they are dependent on good quality water ecosystems for their survival. The odonates at greatest risk for extinction are the stream dwellers, species that won't be attracted to your backyard pond.
The stream damage caused by Lexington's storm water management issues is putting these species, and other wildlife, at risk. Our city is required to make major upgrades in storm water management, as required by the EPA's Consent Decree. These very serious issues require an urgent response.