The Friendly Dragons of the Center

--by Allie Coleman, Interpretive Services Intern

This is a male Chalk-Fronted Corporal (Ladona julia) Dragonfly.  These dragonflies are members of the skimmer (or perchers) family, and is the largest dragonfly family in the world.  They are easily recognized thanks to their social nature, perching habits, and dusty body markings.  They often perch horizontally or skim over waters to snatch their prey from the air, and are social bunch, often seen in groups and around humans to feed on the mosquitoes and biting flies we humans attract.  The bars on their thorax are white in males, gray in females and tan in juveniles.

Dragonflies have been around for over 300 million years. Dragonflies will live as nymphs (aquatic larvae) for up to four years, molting their skin between 8 to 17 times depending on the species, and finally when they mature into adults, they live for only a few months.

Other names for dragonflies around the world are water dipper in England, old glassy in China, and the ancient Celts called dragonflies big needle of wings.