So the sun is shining and the mercury is rising which is a sign that spring has finally sprung and summer is on its way. Some of the main indicators of spring is of course the Robin, Dragonflies and even Damselflies. Since we have already looked a the Robin and Dragonflies, we are going to explore the life of the pretty little insect that is extremely beneficial to humans. How are they beneficial, you ask? Well, just imagine you and your sweetheart are enjoying a nice romantic picnic when all of a sudden you are bombarded by mosquitoes and blackflies. Of course this isn’t very pleasant but Damselflies are doing their best to ensure that your picnic isn’t taken hostage by natures annoying insects. Okay, so maybe they are just hungy and enjoy eating those pesky little bugs, but the end result is still the same….less mosquitoes and blackflies to bother us.
Now you may be thinking that the Damselfly is just another version of the more popular Dragonfly. Although, they look similar to each other and they both belong to the order Odonata, there are a few distinct differences between the two. One of the biggest differences is the Damselflies ability to put their wings parallel to their back when resting. This may not seem like an amazing feat but good ol’ Dragonflies can’t do this and as a result their wings are always sticking out to the side. As well, Damseflies are typically smaller and weaker fliers than their bigger and stronger cousins. Finally, if you look close enough you will notice that the Damselflies hindwings and forewings are virtually identical.
Damselfly Fast Fact – Although, the Damselfly is talented enough to tuck their wings onto their back, they are not skilled enough to be able to wallk. That’s right, this particular insect has no problem landing but they are incapable of walking due to the position of their legs. In reality though, why would you walk when you can fly? If I had wings, I wouldn’t even bother landing!
So that just about does it for another spring time Wild Fact. I hope you enjoyed learning about this beneficial insect. Have a great day!
