9 OBSCURE FACTS AND MYTHS ABOUT DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES

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Fact: Dragonflies that lived 300 million years ago were frightening predators. They were the exact replicas of today’s dragonflies with wingspans of two feet plus in length.
Myth: Damselflies are snake doctors and can bring back dead snakes back to life. It is not true.
Fact: Some species of dragonflies and damselflies migrate south as winter approaches, moving at an average speed of 7.5 miles per day. The globe skimmer covers an annual migration of 11,000 miles back and forth between the Indian Ocean.

Dragonfly

Damselfly (calopteryx haemorrhoidalis)

4. Myth: Damselflies are sometimes alleged to sew the ears and mouth shut and referred to as “Devil’s darning needles.” It is false.

5. Fact: Although each of our eyes contains one lens, a dragonfly's eye comprises 30,000 lenses.

6. Myth: Dragonflies sting and bite humans. Their mandibles are too weak to pierce the human skin. It is ants, hornets and wasps can sting or bite people.

7. Fact: Damselflies and dragonflies can eat hundreds of mosquitoes per day; nymphs feed on mosquito larvae.

8. Myth: There is no difference between damselflies. When resting, dragonflies hold their wings like an airplane, i.e., perpendicular to the bodies. Damselflies fold their wings along their bodies. Their collective scientific name is Odonata, from the Greek word “odonto” meaning “the toothed ones.” The expression "the toothed ones" derives from the well-built teeth associated with adult mandibles.

9. Fact: Odonates spend most of their lives as nymphs under water.