Dragonflies are carnivorous insects and specifically feed on small insects. From their aquatic elemental stage, they hunt with their expandable jaws. Growing into the adult flying stage, they devour flying insects like mosquitoes, flies, and even smaller dragonflies. Dragonflies are skilled hunters, they track down their prey with ravenous appetites. Dragonflies have particular mouthparts that weigh down and devour their prey.
What do Dragonflies eat?
Dragonflies are carnivores because they only eat meat and they largely feed on small insects, their diet mainly consists of smaller insects:
- Mosquitoes
- Midges
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Small dragonflies
- Bees
- Flies
- Worms
- Larvae
- Small fishes.
Dragonflies eat only those things which are smaller for them to consume. They can eat anything easy for them to hunt. Their biggest ability is that they are useful for stopping the population of mosquitoes.
What do baby Dragonflies eat?
Baby Dragonflies are also called nymphs, they mostly spend their time underneath the surface of water so they have an aquatic lifestyle and feed on small insects. They also eat small fish and tadpoles, but wild baby dragonflies eat aquatic insects, grubs, and larvae. As they become larger they might hunt for small tree frogs by exploding out of the water. While adult dragonflies prefer to eat flying insects. These transitions highlight their adaption from underwater predators to skilled hunters in the air.
What do captive dragonflies eat?
Adult dragonflies can be fed live mosquitoes, flies, bees, beetles, and even other dragonflies. They can eat dozens of mosquitoes in a single day just to be healthy. These insects need to be safe for them to eat. Dragonflies also require water which can be in a shallow dish. It is important to remember that they should be given food of the same size or smaller than them. It is better to consult any local insect expert before giving them food.
How do Dragonflies hunt?
Dragonflies hunt their food by using their special tricks, they have a strong vision which helps them to hunt down their prey. They catch their smaller prey in midair using their jaws, or they can hunt the larger prey with their spiny legs, If their prey is small so they will eat it in midair. They have strong flying abilities and can catch bugs in the air. Some dragonflies wait on flowers and then jump on their prey to eat them while others fly when they see the bug flying. They have a great ability to catch bad bugs like mosquitoes. Dragonflies keep nature in balance by catching bugs that might cause problems.
What is the predator of dragonflies?
Dragonflies have great skills to catch their prey, so they are not likely to get eaten by other animals. However, big birds like swallows and swifts might become predators, and spiders could catch them by their webs. Sometimes bigger dragonflies can eat smaller ones. Generally, dragonflies are great hunters and cannot be someone else’s prey.
Why Dragonfly’s diet matters in nature?
Dragonfly’s diet matters in nature because they play a vital role in maintaining balance. By eating incests and pests like mosquitoes they help in controlling their population which prevents serious diseases and outbreaks that can harm plants, animals, and even humans. Dragonflies are a part of the food chain. They are prey for birds and animals, If they start to extinct it can cause a greater problem for the animals that rely on on them for food. However, the diet of dragonflies influences the health of ecosystems.
