Dragonfly

The Dragonfly. I find dragonflies both amazing and intimidating. They’re chunky, dare I say un-swatable, but quick. In fact I have no idea how fast they are, which direction they are capable of moving in, or whether they can bite/sting/lure me to my death. But, if they’re at least 3m from me at all times, I love them. They arrived about 300 million years ago, and were one of the first insects to inhabit the planet. Some early fossils show them having a three foot wingspan. They live for about 6.5 years, but only spend about a month in their ultimate flying combat drone form. They can fly in any direction including hovering, and hunt, dismember and eat their prey all whilst in the air. They have very sharp teeth (I knew it!) but most can’t break human skin (MOST…). They have compound eyes containing 30,000 facets, giving them nearly perfect 360-degree vision. They have a blind spot right behind them, which will come in useful should you ever find yourself transported back to the land of the dinosaurs and need to ride one to safety. Finally, they are reliable indicators of a healthy ecosystem because of their need for clean water and stable oxygen levels. Which is nice isn’t it? But if you are a mosquito, they are your worst nightmare come to life.