Dragonfly Larvae
Facts About The Dragonfly Larvae You May Not Know
Dragonfly larvae are actually dragonfly nymphs in the earliest stages. As the dragonfly larvae begin to feed on smaller organisms, the skin sheds a couple of times to reveal the more aggressive nymphs. This next stage of the dragonfly life cycle is the longest, lasting anywhere from 4 months to 5 years depending on the species of the dragonfly larvae. As the eggs, deposited in the water by the female following a successful mating event, begin to hatch, those larvae who are lucky enough to be born first will often use their younger siblings as a first food source. Easy pickings is the name of the survival game, and gives them the first burst of nutrition that they will need to continue the process toward adulthood.
The dragonfly larvae will scoot all around the water, often hiding in organic material or beneath rocks, but he never does this out of fear. He is biding his time, awaiting his next opportunity to strike out and earn a meal. This could come in the form of a frog or a fish, even a snake is not safe from this tenacious little creature, and if he fails to kill and eat his victim, he rarely faces any consequences. His ability to jet off quickly via the propulsion of water from his anus will ensure that he won’t be the victim of retaliation. Though he but small, he is fierce. Other larvae and water dwelling bugs are fair game as well, and he doesn’t seem to recognize his scant size when determining what might taste good. He just goes for it, and goes for it again.
The dragonfly larvae also has a long, pointy tail, which he uses to weaken and injure his more formidable opponents. There is some interesting footage of a dragonfly nymph releasing his smaller but more aggressive prey, only to have the creature come right back and challenge him directly. The nymph then finishes him off in true predatory style, consuming the victims back first and then proceeding with the rest of his body. These creepy little powerhouses are usually brown to black in color, and aside from color differences tend to look exactly alike. There is no way of determining which species of dragonfly lies beneath the skin, until the time is right for him climb out of the water onto a reed and hatch out.
Though most dragonfly larvae indigenes to North America reach only three inches at the most, there are species in Africa and Asia which can reach upwards of 4 feet in length. The adult dragonfly within is quite a bit smaller than the nymph was, but what a scary creature to happen into!