Topic: Dragonflies

[Chloe]

Hi,

Today I saw a pair of dragonflies mating, but where I thought they would lay their eggs on a leaf in the pond,  the one in the front cleared off and the one behind kept dipping in the water, not on any leaves.   I wrote to the dragonfly society and this was their reply, I hope it is of some interest.

The dragonflies you saw flying joined together were a mating pair. The
leading insect was the male and the trailing one the female. The male
had fertilised the females eggs already (she curls her "tail" round to
do this) and when you saw her dipping her abdomen into the water she was
laying her fertilised eggs. She can lay dozens or even hundreds of eggs
(depending on species). The eggs hatch into nymphs, which live
underwater while they grow and mature eventually climbing out for the
final moult when there wings appear and they fly off as adult insects.

I hope this explains what you saw,

[Margaret]

Hi Chloe.Yes dragonflies are beautiful and fascinating,but after having seen what their nymphs can do to young fish,never mind tadpoles and newts;if I see one now near my pond I go outside and wave my arms about like a looney.Horrible nasty pieces of work they are and so  are water boatmen and great diving beetle larvae.And yes,i know they are all part of nature but not at the expense of hurting my fish they aren't!!

[Chloe]

I agree Maggie, but I didn't think they could eat anything bigger than themselves.

I had the nymph in there last year, and Sunny, Romeo and Tara all survived. Anyway what could I do?  I didn't know what the dragonfly had done until after I got home and emailed the guy.

My pet hate is the boatman.  Now they're  the ones I'd like out of my pond.

[Margaret]

Chloe,I will "read"out to you whatmy pond life book says.

Dragonfly nymphs are fearsome hunters of other aquatic animals,as terrorists rating second only to the larger beetle larvae.They will attack tadpoles,newts,young fish and even take bites out of larger fish(as I know to my cost,I lost a beautiful tench that way).

Diving beetle larvae are also fierce predators and will tackle almost anything that moves.Adult beetles are also capable of taking prey larger than themselves.

Did you also know that backswimmers and water boatmen can bite a human?

I very rarely come across any of these now.I think word has spread that they will get squished if they appear,even in my nature pond.I am a vegetarian and a huge animal rights person,but i make an exception with these,i'm afraid.

[Chloe]

Thanks Maggie, for that, but I already knew it all.  I saw the biggest boatman this year in my pond, but didn't have the heart to kill it.  It's not up to me what lives and dies.  I believe that everything is put here for a purpose, even if I don't know what.  The only things I kill are flies, in the kitchen, in case they have landed on a bit of poo first, before they find their way into my kitchen.

No doubt if I could zap a few things, I would, but I really hate killing anything.

Chloe

[Chloe]

p.s I took it's photo instead ;D

[Margaret]

Yes,don't get me wrong,Chloe,so do i.I would rather let a fly out the window than kill out and I encourage spiders;slugs I actually encourage so that my frogs are fed enough. I have even been known to rescue worms out of puddles.That's dedication!! But I have had this argument with nature lovers before,and it comes down,in my book,to what you are willing to protect.In my case after i had seen the mess it made of the tench(and it had to be the larvae because I found it in the pond afterwards)I vowed I would not risk the same happening again. Anyway,as i say,I cannot remember the last time i even saw a water boatman.

[Dusty]

As far as I am aware I have not had any of these creatures in my ponds in the past but my present pond was just  made/enlarged this year and because of various problems has been emptied several times this year.  

What can be done to keep the water clear of them - is there any plants or anything that will deter them.  Or what about a pond vac -  or will that do they do more harm than good?

[Mrs Ava]

Wow, I had no idea that these pond bugs could do such damage!  I shall tell the father-in-law as he has alsorts of underwater creepy crawlies in his pond and often wonders why his fish die for no apparent reason, or look injured.