Did you know that one species of dragonfly reaches speeds of 58 kilometers (36 miles) per hour, making it the world's fastest-flying insect?
WE are in dragonfly migration season, which is believed to run from August to November. However, researchers know much less about dragonfly migrations than they do about bird or whale migrations.
North America may have up to 18 migratory dragonfly species. A recent study revealed that the species undertakes complex long-distance migrations every year that span generations and seem to be influenced by temperature, making them particularly vulnerable to climate change.
They have been observed eating flies, bees, beetles, butterflies, and even small birds. Dragonflies achieve a hunting success rate of up to 97% by waiting for prey before attacking or scouting an area.
Their compound eyes provide nearly 360-degree vision, with each eye possessing as many as 30,000 ommatidia—individual units that point in a unique direction and have their own lens. Besides their complex compound eyes, dragonflies have three smaller eyes at the front of their heads called ocelli, which are thought to help keep them stable while flying. While humans possess three light-sensitive pigments involved in color vision—blue, green, and red—dragonfly eyes have as many as 30 such proteins.
They also have two pairs of wings, but the angle and speed of each wing are controlled independently, enhancing the insect's flight control and agility.
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