|
|
St. John USVI Fauna: Dragonfly
Dragonflies can usually be seen around St. John's fresh water pools, such as can be found at the Petroglyphs or along the Fish Bay Guts. "A dragonfly is any insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Dragonflies typically eat mosquitoes, midges and other small
insects like flies, bees, and butterflies. They are usually found
around lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands because their larvae,
known as 'nymphs', are aquatic. Dragonflies do not
normally bite or sting humans (though they will bite in order
to escape, for example, if grasped by the abdomen); in fact,
they are valued as a predator that helps control the populations
of harmful insects, such as mosquitoes..." |
       |
