8 Things You Never Knew About Dragonflies

1. Dragonflies Can Intercept Prey Midair

Dragonflies are flat-out terrifying if you’re a gnat, mosquito, or other small bug. They don’t simply chase down their prey; they snag them from the air with calculated aerial ambushes. Dragonflies can judge the speed and trajectory of a prey target and adjust their flight to intercept prey. They’re so skilled they have up to a 97% success rate when hunting.1

2. They Have Incredibly Sharp Mandibles

Dragonflies and damselflies belong to the order Odonata, meaning “toothed ones,” a nod to their serrated mandibles. When hunting, dragonflies catch prey with their feet, tear off the prey’s wings with their sharp jaws so it can’t escape, then scarf the sorry bug down, all without even needing to land.

Thankfully, most dragonflies can’t bite humans. The vast majority of species don’t have mandibles strong enough to break our skin. Only a small handful of large species are capable of biting, and they’ll only bite as a defense.

3. They’re Freaky Fliers

Few species in the animal kingdom can compare to the dragonfly’s spectacular flying ability. The insects have two sets of wings with muscles in the thorax that can work each wing independently. This allows them to change the angle of each wing and practice superior agility in the air.

Dragonflies can fly in any direction, including sideways and backward, and can hover in a single spot for a minute or more. This amazing ability is one factor in their success as aerial ambush predators—they can move in on unsuspecting prey from any direction.

They’re fast, as well, with some species reaching a top speed of 18 miles per hour. They’re also known for their feats of endurance. One species called the globe skimmer (Pantala flavescens) flies 11,000 miles across an ocean in what’s considered the world’s longest insect migration.23

4. Dragonflies Are All Eyes