Of all the flying insects of Treflach, the dragonfly has to be the most majestic - the fastest moving (35-60 mph) and the oldest having been found in fossils dating back 300 million years.
Dragonflies prey on insects usually up to the size of a butterfly and are preyed on themselves by birds, spiders and frogs. They are usually on the wing from late spring and summer and usually found near water. With a life span of about a month as adults they have been aquatic nymphs for at least a year living in the mud of local ponds. Like the adults they are carnivorous living on anything from tiny insect larvae to small tadpoles. There is no pupal stage - when nearly mature they climb up plant stems, shed their skins, dry their wings in the sun then fly away as perfect adults.
It is their flight that has captivated mankind for centuries. Their dual wings look like the first flying machines. Dragonfly’s huge eyes and vibrant colours make you stop what you are doing and wonder. I have seen them more often than not hunting around our farmyards while I am scraping cow manure. My actions disturbing flying insects while they hunt them down - a bit like seagulls behind a tractor and plough.
I only wrote this article because when my milk buyer visited our farm a few weeks ago she commented how she had seen a dragonfly as she drove up the lanes - a first for her and she travels all over the country. Treflach must being doing something right!
A note from Ian:
Dragonflies and damselflies are easy to confuse if you don’t know – however dragonflies are generally larger and more robust, with a powerful, agile flight. They hold their wings perpendicular to their body when resting. Damselflies are smaller and more delicate, with a fluttering flight, and usually fold their wings along their body at rest.