Nature Net News
Your source for tips
& tricks for exploring nature with your kids
June 2012
Dragonflies in the Skies
"Deep in the
sun-searched growths the dragonfly
Hangs like a blue thread loosened from
the sky."
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dear Reader, They're darting here, they're dashing there, you just might see them anywhere! They're dragonflies and flying true, I love them all, how 'bout you? I love dragonflies, from their glimmering wings to their awesome name, dragonflies have always captivated my attention (much to my former teachers' dismay!). These little buggers are primed for flight from their streamlined bodies to their two sets of wings (designed so they don't have to flap as hard as other insects to keep aloft). So in this dazzling issue of Nature Net News, you're sure to learn a lot about the dragons of our skies! Enjoy! Kathe, Sarah & Brenna |
Dragonfly eyes contain up to 30,000 individual lenses. In comparison, human eyes only have one.
One of the main food sources for the adult dragonfly is the mosquito. They are sometimes called "Mosquito Hawks."
The largest dragonfly fossil has a wingspan of 3 feet!
What To Do This Month:
Take a trip to your nearest pond and try to count all the dragonflies you see!
Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Buzzing (dive)Bombs
The adult dragonfly makes a racket as it flies. In addition to this, dragonflies hardly care about who is in their way; because of their speed, they can quickly dodge just about anything in their way. So while it may seem that that dragonfly is out for blood, its really not, so don't worry.
Instant Outdoor Expert:
The Stages of a Dragonfly
The dragonfly has 3 stages of development:
Egg: The female dragonfly lays her eggs on a plant in water or just in the water. Dragonfly eggs can only be laid in freshwater ponds. After hatching, the immature dragonflies are called "nymphs."
Nymph: Nymphs look like little fleas. They live in the water and grow by molting out of their skin. Depending on the species, a nymph spends one to three years in the water, before crawling out of the water to shed its final skin to become an adult. These skins are called "exuvia" and can be found on stems near calm waters.
Adult Dragonfly: The most commonly known form of the dragonfly, adult dragonflies can live up to three years, depending on their species. They do not grow any more. In this form, the dragonfly can live up to two months, just enough time to lay eggs and start the cycle again.
Interested in a more in-depth approach to the life of a dragonfly? Click here!
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Come and check out the 16 acres of the Outdoor Gardens, buzzing with
dragonflies and other flying insects! The Outdoor Gardens are free and
open daily. Or, visit the tropics in the Bolz Conservatory, filled with
exotic plants, flowers, orchids, birds, and a waterfall. Admission to
the Bolz Conservatory is $1 per person and free to all on Wednesday and
Saturday from 10 am to noon.
Clothespin Dragonfly
What you need: spring clothespin, 8" x 8" square of
tulle or colored paper, colorful paints, 2 googly eyes, glue, glitter glue, magnet strip
(optional).
1. Paint your clothespin any color you want. Let dry completely.
2. Take your tulle and make colorful patterns on it with glitter glue. Let dry completely. If you're using paper, cut the paper into two sets of wings and then decorate.
3. When both tulle and clothespin are dry, pinch the center of the tulle together to make an hourglass shape. Open the clothespin and place tulle in the jaws to make wings. Or place paper wings slightly overlapping each other in the jaws of the clothespin. Glue shut.
4. Glue googly eyes to the top of the clothespin. Let dry.
5. If you want to, glue magnet strip to the back of your clothespin.
6. Let dry and then use it to decorate your house!
eHow)
Suggested Reading:
"Dragonfly Beetle Butterfly Bee" by Maryjo Koch (all ages)
"The Helpful Little Dragonfly" by Elizabeth Lawrence (baby)
"The Chameleon and the Dragonfly" by Lorena Eliasen (preschool)
"George and the Dragonfly" by Andy Blackford (3-5)
"I Spy a Dragonfly" by Carla Burke (3-6)
"Sir Small the Dragonfly" by Jane O'Conner (4-6)
"The Dragonfly Door" by John Adams (4-8)
"Eliza and the Dragonfly" by Susie Caldwell Rinehart (4-8)
"Dancing Dragons: Dragonflies in Your Backyard" by Nancy Loewen (4-8)
"Dragonflies and Damselflies" by Dwight Kun (4-8)
"Dazzling Dragonflies" by Linda Glaser (4-8)
"The Paper Dragonfly" by Mary Watson (4-8)
"Izzy the Dizzy Dragonfly" by Teri Gurule (4-8)
"Dragonfly's Tale" by Kristina Rodanas (5-8)
"Are You A Dragonfly?" by Judy Allen and Tudor Humphries (5-8)
"Take a Walk with Butterflies and Dragonflies" by Jane Kirkland (9-12)
"The Dragonfly of Lookout Mountain" by Judy Hatch (8-adults)
