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Female damselflies normally use a bladelike ovipositor to place eggs inside plant tissue. Several species frequently lay eggs under water, the female at times remaining submerged for an hour or more. A male, usually her last mate, often waits above and may help her rise from the water after she surfaces.
- Where do damselflies lay eggs?
- How many eggs does a damselfly lay?
- Which are bigger dragonflies or damselflies?
- Do dragonflies and damselflies mate?
- Do damselflies hatch?
- Do damselflies bite or sting?
- What family is a damselfly?
- Are damselflies harmless?
- How do damselfly mate?
- What do damselflies do?
- How many eyes does a damselfly have?
- Why are damselflies called damselflies?
- Why do female dragonflies play dead?
- Why is dragonfly not moving?
- Why do male damselflies fight against each other?
Where do damselflies lay eggs?
All damselflies lay their eggs inside plant tissues; those that lay eggs underwater may submerge themselves for 30 minutes at a time, climbing along the stems of aquatic plants and laying eggs at intervals.
How many eggs does a damselfly lay?
While attached to the male, the female usually deposits her eggs in vegetation above or below water by making a small incision in the plant and releasing up to 6 eggs. Some mated pairs dive below the surface to lay eggs.
Which are bigger dragonflies or damselflies?
Damselflies are smaller than dragonflies, with bodies that typically range between 1 1/2 inches and 2 inches, while dragonfly bodies are typically longer than 2 inches, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. Dragonflies also have thicker, bulkier bodies, while damselfly bodies are thin like a twig.
Do dragonflies and damselflies mate?
Animal Sex: How Dragonflies Do It. Dragonfly and damselfly sex is a very conspicuous event, easily recognized by the heart-shaped "wheel" formation of mating pairs.
Do damselflies hatch?
The life cycle of the dragonflies and damselflies is fascinating as they spend most of their life underwater. Eggs are laid in the water of ponds and rivers and after a few weeks or even months (depending on the species), the egg will hatch into a larvae or nymph.
Do damselflies bite or sting?
They are also one of the most beautiful insects that ever roamed Earth, and they have always been completely harmless to humans. They do not sting or bite. Damselflies are related to Dragonflies.
What family is a damselfly?
The insect family Coenagrionidae is placed in the order Odonata and the suborder Zygoptera. The Zygoptera are the damselflies, which although less known than the dragonflies, are no less common. More than 1,300 species are in this family, making it the largest damselfly family.
Are damselflies harmless?
Damselflies have many nicknames, including damsels, bog dancers and devil's darning needles. This last one especially might give cause for alarm, but not to worry, these insects are harmless and do not sting or bite–unless of course you are a mosquito, fly, or other insect.
How do damselfly mate?
During mating, the male clasps the female by her neck while she bends her body around to his reproductive organs – this is called a mating wheel. The pair flies together over the water and eggs are laid within a suitable plant, just below the surface. The eggs hatch and the larvae, called nymphs, live in the water.
What do damselflies do?
Damselflies are extremely beautiful, beneficial predators because they help control populations of harmful insects. Adults consume large quantities of other insects such as flies, mosquitoes and moths and some eat beetles and caterpillars.
How many eyes does a damselfly have?
The prey catching organ, the labrum is present on the upper lip, and on the top part of the head, are the three eyes known as Ocelli, which helps them to measure the intensity of light. They also have two small antennae over the head to measure the air speed. The wingspan of this insect ranges between 18mm to 19cm.
Why are damselflies called damselflies?
Zygoptera (damselflies) means “equal winged,” while Anisoptera (dragonflies) means “unequal winged.” When they are not flying, damselflies usually hold their wings up over their backs (with the exception of spread-winged damsels), but dragonflies hold their wings open and to the sides.
Why do female dragonflies play dead?
Female dragonflies say no to sex by faking their deaths, new research has found. Once a female dragonfly has mated, all she is interested in doing is laying eggs and getting on with her life. So, when stalked by an unwelcome lover (or two), she crashes to the ground and plays dead.
Why is dragonfly not moving?
Turns out dragonflies can't fly when their blood is too cold. ... Down in the dusty shady path, the dragonfly was deprived of oxygen, warmth and light and so couldn't fly or move itself into the sun in order to save itself.
Why do male damselflies fight against each other?
“Male damselflies often have difficulty distinguishing between females of their own species and another species when making split-second decisions about whether to pursue a female,” Grether said. “I think that's the root cause of the persistence of male territorial aggression.”
