About 3,000 species of fast, agile predatory insects with huge compound eyes and two pairs of strong wings. Most of their life is spent as underwater nymphs; adults usually live only a few weeks.
Quick answers
What is it?Insect
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inWorldwide
HabitatWetland, Rivers & lakes, Grassland
ColoursBlue, Green
SizeTiny
Legs6
Covered inExoskeleton
Lives alone
Lives for6 months
Can fly
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Worldwide, mostly in the tropics; often near water.
- What it eats
- Other insects, caught in flight. The nymphs eat almost anything smaller than themselves.
Did you know
Catches about 95% of what it chases — the best hunter going.
Each compound eye has nearly 24,000 facets, and dragonflies see around 200 images a second.
Often confused with
On these lists
Sources
Last reviewed
Play
Could you have guessed it?
A photo, a few hints, one guess. Same 438 animals.
