For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Close-up of a dragonfly

Dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera) are distinguished from antlions by their short, bristle-like antennae.
They can shot out their enlarged and very elongated lower lip to grab prey.
Dragonfly nymphs are stout and use rectal (internal) gills to breath.
Insects do not flap their wings in flight, instead they contract and inflate their thorax to give them movement.
They have bristly legs that act as a basket to capture insect prey in flight.
Both have very large eyes but in the case of dragonflies, they do not meet in the middle.
We have about 160 species here.

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