About 3012 species of dragonflies were known in 2010; these are classified into 348 genera in 11 families. Dragonflies are found on every continent except Antarctica. In contrast to the damselflies (Zygoptera), which tend to have restricted distributions, some genera and species are found across continents.
Dragonflies are some of the most beneficial insects you could have in your yard. They mostly prey on insects like mosquitoes, so they are often used as a natural method of pest control. However, they can also be considered a nuisance themselves, especially to apiaries, because they also tend to feed on bees when the opportunity arises.
Dragonflies are part of the Odonata order, and Anisoptera infraorder. They are agile fliers and have a vast palette of metallic colours which makes them conspicuous in flight. They can fly straight up and down, hover like a helicopter and even mate mid-air. If they can’t fly, they’ll starve because they only eat prey they catch while flying, when in their final adult stage.
Dragonflies are part of the Odonata order, and Anisoptera infraorder. They are agile fliers and have a vast palette of metallic colours which makes them conspicuous in flight. They can fly straight up and down, hover like a helicopter and even mate mid-air. There are around 3.000 species of Ansioptera spread around the world, with most of them being located in the tropical regions, and fewer in the temperate ones. Most of them are considered beneficial as they pray on smaller insects as adults. They are a great control on the mosquito population, but they also eat gnats, flies and other flying insects. As a larva, they eat tadpoles or small fish. They can, however, be considered pests as well, as they are predators both in their aquatic larval stage and in their adult one. Dealing with a dragonfly infestation can affect your crops, and knowing how to keep them in check is important.