Dragonfly Behaviour (1 Viewer)

DarkAngel · Jul 19, 2010

Hi!!

I was in the garden yesterday and was enjoying watching about 20 large dragonflys flying around feeding, and then they all suddenly dissappeared.
about 20 minutes later about half came back.
Where did they go?? did they just get full and have a rest? they went so suddenly i dident even see them dissappear.
Someone said they were threatened by me but they were happily coming up to me to feed on the bugs around me |=)|
Does anyone know what happened?I cant find any info on their behaviour on the net,apart from a book for 150 pounds!!!!
Obviously they are still one creature that has not been studied so much in behaviour but they just facinate me |:d|
Thank You

harry eales · Jul 19, 2010

Hello Dark Angel,

Many things could accout for the observations you made. It could have been for example a change in atmospheric pressure, cloud cover reducing bright sunshine, light rain etc, even a change in wind direction. Subtle things that we as humans may not take muich note of.

It could also be that they found a better food source and only when that was depleted did some of them return to where you were.

Large Dragonflies are by no means restricted to one area, and, they are so powerful they can fly over large distances in a very short period of time. They can frequently be seen many miles from a possible breeding source.

A lot of people don't realise that when a dragonfly emerges from the nymphal state they don't hang around their pond but fly off to mature often for a week or more whilst feeding up and becoming sexually mature. It is only then that they seek out water to look for a mate. The females especially try to avoid all other dragonflies until they are fully mature, they select a place where they will likely find good breeding conditions and then land in reeds or emergent vegetation and await a passing male to find them.

There are many reasons as I said, that could account for that you saw.

DarkAngel · Jul 19, 2010

Thank You!

harry eales said:
Hello Dark Angel,

Many things could accout for the observations you made. It could have been for example a change in atmospheric pressure, cloud cover reducing bright sunshine, light rain etc, even a change in wind direction. Subtle things that we as humans may not take muich note of.

It could also be that they found a better food source and only when that was depleted did some of them return to where you were.

Large Dragonflies are by no means restricted to one area, and, they are so powerful they can fly over large distances in a very short period of time. They can frequently be seen many miles from a possible breeding source.

A lot of people don't realise that when a dragonfly emerges from the nymphal state they don't hang around their pond but fly off to mature often for a week or more whilst feeding up and becoming sexually mature. It is only then that they seek out water to look for a mate. The females especially try to avoid all other dragonflies until they are fully mature, they select a place where they will likely find good breeding conditions and then land in reeds or emergent vegetation and await a passing male to find them.

There are many reasons as I said, that could account for that you saw.

Thank You very much,

Thats so facinating!! It did actually cloud over and i did wonder weather they knew something i dident LOL.
We have loads here and i spend most my day sitting still amongst them |^|
They are such beautiful creatures =)

Odonate · Jul 19, 2010

Hi

If it clouded over then that might well explain it. Dragonflies need to heat the flight muscles in their abdomen to a certain temperature before they work properly. If I remember correctly that temperature is about 24oC. They normally do this by basking in the sun to warm up which is why you don't really see free flying Dragonflies before 10 in the morning or much after 6 in the evening. They are able to vibrate their wings to generate heat if they need to be flying when it is colder in much the same way as we are able to shiver to warm ourselves up.

You might notice that in many species, that the thorax colours are generally dark thus maximising possible heating.

I always find it a little odd that some species seem to fly regardless of the temperature, Cordulegaster boltonii - Golden-ringed Dragonfly being a prime example.

O

Dragonfly Behaviour (1 Viewer)

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DarkAngel

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harry eales

Ancient Entomologist

DarkAngel

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Odonate

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