Dragonfly Nymph
The Secret Life Of The Dragonfly Nymph
The dragonfly nymph is quite a different creature than that which he will become in his adult form. He is large, flat, quick, and vicious, often being considered as the shark of the stream. Fearless and very zippy, he fears no prey and will chase anything down which he perceives as edible. This can include the appendages of unsuspecting humans who have just wandered in for a cooling swim. The dragonfly nymph hatches from floating eggs left by the female after a successful mating ritual, and the actions which follow will set the scene for the entirety of his life under water. The dragonfly nymph hatching is accomplished in stages, and the unlucky later hatchlings will most likely be consumed as the first meal to their older siblings.
The dragonfly nymph will remain underwater for anywhere from 4 months to five years, depending on the species of dragonfly he is to become. Where adult dragonflies are considered quite harmless, and their formidable impact on the mosquito population a huge favor, his nymph stage gives an impression quite to the contrary. He is not very attractive, and rather is designed for feed and for carnivorous feeding on anything that moves. Surface attacks are quite common for the dragonfly nymph as well, as he swoops silently to the surface and takes down anything from small water scooters to large bees and wasps. Dragging them under into submergence, he will begin to eat them alive, no matter which portion of the body his powerful mandibles have landed.
The dragonfly nymph will also use his spiked and daggered tail to weaken the less cooperative prey that he wrestles with. Should he feel the need to let go under pressure, he has the unique ability of forcing water out through his anus with great force, propelling him right back toward his victim without delay. For self defense, as sometimes he bites off more than he can chew, he is also equipped with an acidulous spray mechanism. This excretion can be propelled from his mouth a distance of two feet in front of him, blocking the advances of an angry assailant and giving him time to escape.
Minnows, frogs, small snakes, or even large ones if he feels up to the challenge, are all common prey for the dragonfly nymph. He is also prone to keen aggression toward animals thousands of times his own size, and this causes some concern for swimmers in local watering holes and rivers. He will shed continuously, each discarded skin revealing a slightly bigger nymph. Over wintering happens in a slight hibernation state, and the adult will emerge when the nymph has gained the nutritional needs that are necessary for the health of the adult form.