CHAPTER ONE MUCH TO TELL A blue dasher dragonfly takes off over a pond It flies after a mosquito above the water The dragonfly rises and falls as it darts through the air Morning dew shimmers on the insect’s four clear wings Its deep-blue body reflects off the calm water Dragonflies spend most of their lives in or near water Most female dragonflies lay their eggs in a marsh pond or other waterway Young dragonflies Scientists estimate dragonflies have lived on Earth for more than 250 million years 5
Female dragonflies carefully choose where to lay their eggs 66
are called larvae or nymphs They stay in the water after they hatch Like fish larvae breathe through gills As adults dragonflies take to the air But they stay near water to find food and to mate Changes in water conditions can have a big effect on dragonflies A change in water temperature can change how quickly dragonflies grow Poor water quality can affect how many dragonfly larvae survive In this way dragonflies are bioindicators Biodindicators are animals scientists study to learn more about the health of an ecosystem When dragonflies are doing poorly other plants and animals in the ecosystem are likely also suffering Flashy Fliers Dragonflies are found on every continent on Earth except Antarctica There are more than 3,000 different species These long-winged insects come in every color of the rainbow Many people admire dragonflies beauty But there is a lot more to dragonflies than their stunning looks 7
