The Beautiful Dragon

July 7, 2020 2:50pm IST

   Most people imagine this when thinking of a Dragonfly, but flying more is just a small phase in the life cycle of a dragonfly.

Dragonflies spend most of their life span as swimming larvae in small streams and ponds. If you are a millennial, you would probably remember seeing huge swarms of dragonflies flying from one water body to another in your childhood. But, now as one should have noticed it is not the same. Today, the Dragonfly count has dropped significantly across the continent. Experts blame it on the destruction and pollution of water bodies. This is a concerning issue as these beautiful arthropods occupy significant niches in the insect ecosystem. Dragonflies of ferocious predators, they feast on insects like mosquitoes, aphids, and midgets.

"Dragonflies hunt insects with great precision and have a 95% success rate and can eat 30 flies in a row," says Dr Stacey Combes studying Dragonfly biomechanics at Harvard.

Being a predator of pest insects, they are beneficial for farmers to have around their fields. Moreover, dragonfly larvae are voracious insect eaters; their favourite snack is mosquitoes. Thus, they decrease the spread of the diseases that are caused by mosquitoes. They are also essential for ecological balance in pond ecosystems and having a healthy ecosystem results in a better quality of water.

But today, urbanization and water pollution pose a significant threat to dragonflies. Urbanization often results in oil spillage over water bodies (sometimes from precautionary measures against mosquitoes), which kills all the aquatic fauna. Water pollution increases the biological oxygen demand of ponds and lakes, thus wiping out most of the native organisms.

India has over 500 Dragonfly species. So, conserving them is crucial not only for the benefits they offer, but also to sustain the genetic heritage of the continent. As naturalists, our goal should be awareness among the general public about ecological issues and drive responsible ministries to have greater concern about the ecological impact of development they offer. We must also share our views and suggestions with the authorities to improve their plans.