The images of dragons lurk in myths and nightmares. They are pitiless creatures which will dine on any and all flesh which come within their grasp, but they are especially fond of devouring helpless damsels.
Some who wish to establish an immediate reputation for ruthless, callous behavior have assumed the term to suit their malevolent ambitions. A few focused persons have managed to reach a level of brutality where the title to which they aspired was earned.
One was Vlad II, a nobleman in a remote province in present-day Romania, who was having problems with the neighboring Ottoman Turks. He joined the Order of the Dragon, taking a new identity as Vlad Dracul, or Vlad the Dragon and he then pummeled the Turks at every opportunity thereafter.
Vlad’s son, known as Vlad the Impaler, also went by the name Dracula, which translated to son of the dragon. The junior Vlad upheld family tradition with the Turks and entered popular culture courtesy of a 19th Century romance novelist, Bram Stoker.
Fortunately, contemporary panhandle Florida has missed out on giant fire-breathing lizards and merciless Turk hunters. There is, however, the insect order Odonate which included dragonflies and, ironically, damselflies.
This dragonfly, a blue darner, takes a break to rest on a stem. The pupils of its eyes will follow anyone who draws close for a detailed look at this beneficial insect.
Florida is home to more than 150 species of Odonates made up of six families of dragonflies and three families of the similarly appearing damselflies. This insect order is found on every continent except Antarctica.
Adult Odonates are easily differentiated by their wings. The wings of most dragonflies are held away from and perpendicular to their body when at rest while the dainty, but not helpless, damselflies fold their wings next to their body.
Some dragonfly species have broad territories, such as the blue-eyed darner. It is found from coast to coast in North America, in addition to Central and South America. In contrast, many families of damselflies have much smaller areas in which they are established, with a few having extremely limited distribution.
Like other insects, dragonflies have six legs, but most cannot walk well. To compensate for this shortcoming, dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects in the world with a top recorded speed of about 35 miles per hour.
They can be seen locally near any body of water or running stream, often sitting in sunny spots breaking through the forest canopy along a river or pond, or patrolling the water’s edge. The males are territorial and will attack other males which encroach.
Some species can be found in open fields far away from water while searching for prey or while migrating. The carnivorous nature of their diets make them popular summer guests.
All nymph stage Odonates are aquatic, with some living in salty water. All are voracious predators feeding on everything from small invertebrates such as mosquito larvae to smaller vertebrates such as fish and frogs.
In the world of mosquito larvae, damselflies and dragonflies are bad news. The story has a much happier ending when the dragons and damsels work together.
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