The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is home to a multitude of insects. One you might be familiar with, and have most-likely ventured across in your backyard, is the dragonfly.
There are more than 5,000 species of dragonflies. Dragonflies don’t have teeth. But they do have very sharp and strong jaws.
They don’t typically just bite humans unless caught and defensively try to escape. They can fly up to 35 mph, forward and backward, up and down, and even hover and rotate 360 degrees in place.
Their head area is made up almost entirely of compound eyes, giving the dragonfly 360 degree vision.
Dragonflies eat biting flies and mosquitos, sometimes hundreds a day. That is a real service to those of us who are annoyed by those nuisance insects. They frequently catch their meals in mid-flight.
Make arrangements to attend the 25th Annual Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival (and encore celebration) hosted by the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society coming later this year. See more details at wingsoverwater.com.