Dragonfly (Green Darner)

Hello. I am a Green Darner Dragonfly. Before I learned to fly high in the sky, my home was under the water. I lived in a pond, lake, or slow-moving stream, where I was a little creature called a nymph. I loved crawling on the green plants and swimming through the cool water. I was not bright and colorful yet, but I was a great hunter and would catch tiny water bugs for my dinner.

One very sunny day, I felt that it was time for a big, exciting change. I crawled all the way out of the pond and up onto a tall plant reaching for the sun. My old skin opened up, and I carefully wiggled out with a brand new body. I had two pairs of beautiful, sparkly wings that you could see right through. My body was long and colorful. My chest was a bright green color, just like a new leaf, and my long tail was a bright blue abdomen, while females and immature males have a brownish or reddish-brown abdomen. I had to wait in the warm sun for my new wings to dry before I could take my very first flight.

Now, I zip and zoom all through the air. Flying is my very favorite thing to do. I have big eyes that help me see yummy snacks from far away. I love to eat pesky mosquitoes and other little bugs that buzz around. When I eat these bugs, I am helping to keep the air clear so you can play outside without getting bothered. I am a super-fast and helpful friend you can find in the garden or near the pond.

As a Green Darner Dragonfly, I help keep the world around us a happy and healthy place. By eating lots of little bugs, I make the outdoors more fun for everyone. So when you see my green and blue body flashing in the sunlight, you know I am busy at work, being a helpful hunter in the sky.