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Posted by on Apr 28, 2016 in TellMeWhy |

How Long Have Dragonflies Been Around?

How Long Have Dragonflies Been Around?

Dragonflies have been around a really long time. Experts believe they existed over 300 million years ago. Dragonflies can be found all over the world. In fact, there are over 5,000 different types of dragonflies around the world.

They are predators that eat other insects, including mosquitoes, gnats, flies, bees, ants, and wasps. One of the most striking features of the dragonfly is its large eyes.

Unlike human eyes that have just one lens, dragonfly eyes are made up of up to 30,000 separate lenses! Its eyes enable a dragonfly to see all around it. Unfortunately, despite their many lenses, dragonfly eyes don’t allow them to see details very well.

They are some of the fastest, best fliers in the insect world. They can fly in loops, hover, and even fly backward. A dragonfly in Australia was measured flying at a speed of 36 miles per hour. Dragonflies put their speed to good use.

When dragonflies are first hatched, they are called nymphs and they live in the water for up to a year. This is why you will often find dragonflies around water, such as marshes, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. Once they leave the water and begin to fly, though, they only live for about a month.

Content for this question contributed by Chris Nyman, resident of Menominee, Menominee County, Michigan, USA