Some species are exclusive in Canada to certain regions, like the treeline emerald, which is only found in the territories. More than 200 species of dragonfly and damselfly are native to Canada, and the eastern provinces have the highest diversity of species. Are there different species in different regions or many species in all regions? How many dragonfly species are in Canada? Dragonflies at rest hold their wings completely out to the side, perpendicular to the body.
At rest, most damselflies hold their wings closed (except for those belonging to a group known as spreadwing damselflies, which hold their wings at a 45-degree angle to the body). One of the easiest ways to distinguish a dragonfly from a damselfly is to look at how it holds its wings. For example, damselfly species are often smaller than dragonfly species damselfly larvae have gills attached to the tip of their abdomen, while dragonflies have gills inside their abdomen and a dragonfly’s rear wings are larger than its front wings, while a damselfly’s wings are all similar in shape. They share many common features but also have observable differences. Dragonflies belong to the Anisoptera suborder and damselflies belong to the Zygoptera suborder.
Then it is time to climb out on the upright emergent pond plants.Dragonfly or damselfly larvae will live beneath the water surface for years eating mosquito larvae and other small creatures.It moults a further 5–14 times until it becomes full-sized.A dragonfly catches and eats live prey as a larvae.They emerge from the egg as tadpoles and moult almost immediately after hatching.The egg develops into the larvae stage or nymph under the water.Her wings flutter at times so she can keep her balance and not fall into the water.She remains for a good minute in the same position and repeatedly lays her eggs into the water.You can see it pulsing as she pushes out the eggs.
She rests on the waterlily leaves and pushes her tail (ovipositor) down into the water.Watch our video Showing a dragonfly laying her eggs on the Nursery: This sequence of images of a dragonfly larvae on pond plants was taken in our warm exhibit tunnel in late May 2016:ĭragonfly ovipositing from a waterlily leaf Dragonfly ovipositing This emerging process often happens early in the morning and can take a couple of hours.The new adult will bask in the sunshine, gain colour and strength in their wings and is then ready to fly.They leave the last of their larvae casings abandoned on the upright pond plant stem.Then they push themselves out of their final larvae casing through the slit behind the head area of the casing.The larvae will secure itself onto the stem.Plant Butomus umbellatus, Cyperus, Iris, Lythrum salicaria Pontederia species on the shallow pond shelves.Larvae climb up & out of the water into dry conditions by climbing up the stem of an upright emergent pond plant.They need to be in dry conditions to open their wings as adults.Dragonfly and damselfly larvae need to leave the pond water to emerge as adults.Watch our video Damselflies and Dragonflies - Larvae & emerging adults How dragonfly become adults using pond plants: We have a Pond planting collection for dragonflies containing 3 upright plants in 11cm baskets.Water Iris, Lythrum salicaria, Butomus umbellatus, Eriophorum angustifolium Pontederia and Cyperus species growing from pond plant shelves help larvae climb up & out of the water.Tall stemmed emergent pond plants for dragonflies and damselflies: Next Best pond plants for dragonflies and damselflies:
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