BENEFITS OF DRAGONFLIES
Since odonates are around water a good portion of their adult and larvae
life, they have proved to be useful to man as bio-indicators. They
give us valuable information as to the health of an ecosystem or watershed.
Since odonates have varying levels of tolerance to pollution and habitat
alteration, their presence, absence or decreased populations can indicate a
specific problem within an ecosystem, such as pesticides and sediments
infiltrating rivers, streams and other wetlands from agriculture,
deforestation or industry.
 Using
odonate larvae to control mosquito larvae populations has proved to be an
effective and safer way of eliminating insect pests. Since odonates
larvae are carnivores with varacous appetites they can consume a good number
of tasty mosquito larvae in a very short time, thus eliminating more of the
harsher methods such as noxious chemical sprays. Perhaps more of a benefit
to man is the role of the adult dragonfly in keeping mosquito, midges, flies
and other annoying insect populations down. Mosquitos in some areas of
North America transmit diseases such as West Nile Virus, Dengue and Dog
Heart Worm.
So dragonflies are doing us a favor by consuming these insects.
Whether we like to think of it or not, odonates are a vital food source
for countless other species such as other insects, birds, reptiles,
amphibians, mammals and fish and "yes" even man. In many parts of the
world people use insects as a major source of food and dragonflies happen to
be one of the insects that fall into this category.
Odonates have indirectly contributed to the designs of military and
commercial aircraft. For decades Aeronautical Engineers have studied the
aerodynamics of dragonfly flight (air flows) and applied their findings to
creating new wing designs.
What school child does not benefit from watching a dragonfly develop from
a small larvae into a beautiful adult. We can all learn the theory of incomplete
metamorphosis from a science textbook, but the benefits of learning hands-on
far out ways what any text can teach you and further creates an appreciation
for the world around us.
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