Attract Dragonflies

Dragonflies, which are large insects in the Odonata family, are sought after by property owners because they as beneficial insects that are attractive and fun to watch. Both the adult dragonflies and the dragonfly larvae are voracious hunters of mosquitoes and small aquatic insects. Dragonflies are drawn to areas with water, roosting places, and sunlight to lay their eggs. Learn how to attract dragonflies by building an attractive dragonfly habitat and how to get a dragonfly to land on your finger.

Steps

  1. Build a pond of sufficient size and shape. All stages of dragonfly development require the presence of water. When building a pond to draw dragonflies to your area, consider size, depth, and slope.
    • The British Dragonfly Society recommends a pond diameter of at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} (6.1 m). However, a pool of just about any size will appeal to dragonflies.
    • The pond should have a depth of at least 2 feet (.61 m) to allow the dragonfly nymphs to take cover from predators such as raccoons.
    • The pond should have shallow sloping sides to allow for plants to grow alongside.
    • Position the pond in full sun. Dragonfly larvae are cold-blooded and will not follow normal behaviors in a shady pond.
  2. Place light-colored rocks around the edge of the pond. These rocks can give an area for dragonflies to bask in the sun.
    • Provide an area of shale to attract dragonflies.
  3. Place an old log near the pond, and allow it to rot away naturally. The log will become an egg-laying spot for dragonflies.
  4. Stock the pond with both shallow-water and deep-water plants. Dragonflies and their larvae do not eat plants, but some species use plants as nurseries and insert their eggs into the plant stalks.
    • For shallow plants consider planting bog bean, flowering rush, water horsetail, and bur-reed.
    • For deep water areas consider planting horn wort and curly pond weed.
    • Ask your local nursery or extension office about the native pond plants found in your area.
  5. Add floating plants to the pond.
    • Consider planting yellow water lily, frog bite, or stiff-leaved water crowfoot.
    • Do not allow the floating plants to cover the pond entirely because this may block the sunlight from the aquatic life below.
  6. Allow the grass to grow tall around the dragonfly pond. This can provide hunting opportunities for the dragonflies as well as resting and mating places.
    • Consider planting meadow grasses or a wild flower area around the dragonfly pond.
  7. Stock the dragonfly pond if you are a long way from an established dragonfly habitat. Collect a few bucketfuls of pond sludge and water from an area with a well-known dragonfly population.
    • Avoid frog or toad spawn, as the spawn may introduce diseases to the new pond.

Tips

  • Place perching sticks in the pond for dragonflies to land on until the plants are well-established.
  • Allow the pond to balance, and do not drain the pond to control the algae.

Warnings

  • Do not mow around a dragonfly pond.
  • Beware of invasive plants, and do not plant them in the pond.
  • Do not stock the dragonfly habitat with fish because the fish will eat the dragonfly nymphs.
  • Do not spray herbicides or pesticides around a dragonfly habitat. Dragonflies will not use polluted water, and you may inadvertently kill dragonfly nymphs.
  • Avoid pre-fabricated pool liners that do not have sloping sides.

Things You'll Need

  • Pond
  • Rocks (both light-colored and shale)
  • Rotting log
  • Water-loving plants

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Attract_Dragonflies&oldid=307920"