Table of Contents
Introduction ix
What's in a Name? 1
What is a dragonfly?
How do dragonflies get their names?
Where do dragonflies belong in the animal kingdom?
Are dragonfly scientific names set in stone?
What animals are a dragonfly's closest relatives?
What is an exoskeleton?
What's the downside to having an exoskeleton?
What are the other constraints imposed by an exoskeleton?
Are dragonflies flies?
How many different kinds of dragonflies are there?
How many kinds of dragonflies and damselflies are there in North America?
Which US state has the most kinds of dragonflies?
Are there dragonfly fossils?
Why were some ancient dragonflies so huge?
What is a damselfly?
What's the difference between dragonflies and damselflies?
Body Works 17
Can dragonflies see well?
What range of light can dragonflies see?
If dragonflies can see UV, what do they look like to each other?
Can dragonflies hear well?
Do dragonflies have a good sense of smell?
Do dragonflies communicate with pheromones?
Do dragonflies have fur?
What do the segments on a dragonfly's abdomen signify?
What are a dragonfly's legs like?
Why do many dragonflies have hairy legs?
Can dragonflies climb up windows as flies do?
How many legs do dragonfly larvae have?
How do dragonflies breathe?
Do dragonflies have blood?
Does a dragonfly have a heart?
Do dragonflies pee and poop?
What kind of brains do dragonflies have, and can they learn?
Do adult dragonfly males and females look the same?
Why can dragonflies of the same species vary in size as adults?
Do adult dragonflies change their appearance as they age?
What makes a dragonfly's color?
Do dragonflies keep their color after they die?
Why do structural colors fade?
What are a dragonfly's wings made of?
How strong are dragonfly wings?
How do dragonflies fly?
How fast do dragonfly wings beat?
Can dragonflies fly backwards?
How fast can dragonflies fly?
What happens if a dragonfly's wings are damaged?
Record Holders 39
What is the largest dragonfly in the world?
What is the smallest dragonfly in the world?
What is the largest dragonfly in the United States?
What is the smallest dragonfly in North America?
How much does a dragonfly weigh?
Dragonfly Lifestyles 43
Do dragonflies live everywhere?
What kind of watery habitats do dragonflies inhabit?
What makes a good dragonfly habitat?
What is meant by the terms fliers and perchers?
Are all dragonflies predators?
How do dragonflies catch their food?
Do dragonflies eat as they fly?
With which predators do dragonflies compete for food?
What predators eat dragonflies?
Are red dragonflies poisonous to predators?
Do dragonfly wing patches deflect predators, as butterfly "eyespots" do?
Why do dragonflies hunt near traffic lights?
What dangers do dragonflies face?
How do dragonflies defend themselves?
When are dragonflies most active?
Are dragonflies active at night?
Where do dragonflies sleep?
How do dragonflies stay safe when they're roosting?
How do dragonflies stay warm?
How do dragonflies stay warm in areas of cold winters?
How does a dragonfly keep from baking in the sun?
Do dragonflies drink?
Do dragonflies come to flowers?
Do dragonflies groom themselves?
What are dragonflies doing when you see them far from water?
Why do dragonflies swarm? Can adult dragonflies still swim?
What are dragonflies doing when they go out and back from a perch by the pond?
What are dragonflies doing when two together fly over the pond?
How long can dragonflies stay underwater?
How long do dragonflies live?
Was that dragonfly buzzing near my head really following me?
Egg to Egg: The Cycle of Life 67
How do dragonflies grow (what is their life cycle)?
What are odonate eggs like?
Where and how do dragonflies lay their eggs?
How do dragonflies know where to lay their eggs?
How long does a dragonfly stay as an egg?
Why do dragonflies lay so many eggs?
Are the seed-like blobs seen on some damsel- and dragonflies misplaced eggs?
What are dragonfly larvae like?
How long does a dragonfly stay as a larva?
What are exuviae?
How do dragonflies "know" when to emerge?
What is meant by the rendezvous?
How do dragonfly males and females get together?
What is the mating wheel?
What is "in tandem?"
Why do dragonflies fly in twos?
Why do dragonfly males guard their females?
What is diapause, and is it a good thing?
Why do dragonflies adopt new wetlands?
What is the difference between dispersing and migrating?
Do many dragonflies migrate?
Why would a dragonfly migrate when it could survive in place?
At what altitude do dragonflies migrate?
How far can dragonflies fly?
How can scientists discover migration details?
Dragonflies and Us 83
What do different people around the world think of dragonflies?
Are there any dragonflies among state insects?
Are there dragonfly petroglyphs and pictographs?
Do dragonflies still feature in the decorative arts?
Where can I see dragonflies?
Do dragonflies harm people?
Do dragonflies carry diseases that affect humans?
Do people eat dragonflies?
Are there endangered dragonfly species?
What are people doing to conserve and protect dragonflies?
Do people collect dragonflies?
Are there government regulations about collecting dragonflies?
Can I hold a dragonfly without harming it?
How can I attract dragonflies to my garden?
How can I take dragonfly photos?
How can I contribute to dragonfly science?
Out and About 95
Glossary 96
Resources 98
Acknowledgments 102
