Dragonflies are amazing creatures!
Around for 250 million years, these creatures are members of the Odonata order (meaning “teeth”) because adults have serrated, scissor-like teeth. They find Texas perfect for their life style. Best of all? They are hearty predators of mosquitoes!
During the age of dinosaurs, dragonflies may have reached monster sizes. Imagine seeing a huge dragonfly soar above you! However, dragonflies became smaller over millions of years.
According to University of Texas, there are about 330 species of dragonflies in North America.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, there are about 70 species native to Texas. All are found in or around, watery environments.
Dragonflies have almost 360 – degree vision, which means they can see everything! Dragonflies were perhaps the first winged organisms to evolve on Earth. Adult flying dragonflies are usually gem-like in color and don’t bite humans.
Dragonfly babies don’t fly, do not look like the flying adults we know, eat everything, and live in the water for about a year.
Brazos Bend State Park in Needville, Texas, located in Fort Bend County, near Houston, Texas, has many dragonfly babies (larvae) in its lakes.
When the timing is right, dragonfly babies crawl onto a blade of grass, change into winged, flying adult dragonflies insects and remain around the lakes to hunt for their prey.