Benefits and Folklore of Dragonflies

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Dragonflies are fascinating creatures with an unusual lifecycle and folklore to match. Plus, they benefit our gardens by controlling pests—a perfect unfolding.

A few weeks ago, I shared a story about the Preservation of the Paulinskill River and how the Nature Conservancy is measuring populations of dragonflies, amongst other insects, and freshwater mussels to monitor the outcomes of the restoration underway.

The unusual life cycle of dragonflies

Dragonflies spend most of their lives in the water. Their nymphs are greenish-brown, making them hard to notice in the water. They feed on beetles, mosquito larvae, and worms. Larger species feed on tadpoles and small fish.

Smaller dragonfly nymphs molt six times over two months, while larger larvae molt up to fifteen times over three to five years, depending on the species. When the time comes to become an adult, they stick their heads out from under the water to begin to adapt to breathing air. Then, they climb out onto a plant. There, they molt for the last time into an adult with wings.

Most species spend only a few days or weeks as adults, while others live up to a year. They are skillful flyers, speedily flying six ways, making them hard to photograph. They are stunning with long bodies, often iridescent in color, and have transparent wings.

Benefits of dragonflies in the garden

Their acute eyesight and swift speed make them masterful hunters. One dragonfly can eat thirty to a hundred mosquitoes, flies, and other insects daily. Larger species feed on moths, butterflies, and smaller dragonflies, which seems sad. But the benefits of dragonflies managing pests in the garden ease the sadness. It’s the cycle of life, after all.

The fossils of these astonishing creatures date back 325 million years. Dragonfly ancestors were enormous, with wingspans of up to thirty inches. Today, dragonflies are found in every part of the world except Antarctica, with wingspans ranging from two to five inches.

Hundreds of dragonflies of varying species can swarm to feed on insects such as emerging flying ants or termites. Multiple species can also swarm together to migrate. Research to understand the mysteries of dragonfly migration is underway.

Dragonfly folklore varies widely.

In Japan, dragonflies are included in poetry, characterizing joy and strength, with red dragonflies being especially sacred. They signify fortune and harmony in China. And in Europe, they can be a sign of black magic—Often called “devil darning needle” or “horse stinger,” yet they don’t sting at all. They will bite, however, if they feel threatened.

There’s a Native American myth dragonflies once were dragons. As the story goes, a coyote convinced a dragon to change into a dragonfly and couldn’t turn back, which sounds deceptive. However, the dragonfly symbolized change and swiftness—images of dragonflies in Navajo paintings next to water represent purity.

A Dragonfly visits a Memorial Tree. 

Learning about folklore reminds me of when a dragonfly visited an extraordinary memorial tree. I participated in a happy email exchange with the caretaker of Myles’s memorial tree. It’s a Forest Pansy Redbud with stunning hot pink spring blooms and heart-shaped leaves that emerge shiny before maturing to deep maroon. We planted the tree near the sports field at Morristown High School in the fall of 2019.

Myles Redbud Recovery Underway

Myles Tree June 2024

Myles Redbud started strong, but in early spring of 2020, it suffered from two consecutive nights below freezing, killing flower and leaf buds. After a worrisome, slow start to recover, it rebounded beautifully.

Along with a photograph of the tree, the loving caretaker, Margarita, asked Myles’s parents if their son had any connection to dragonflies.

“In the seven years I’ve been here, I have never seen one, and now, twice visiting, one is on Myles’s tree,” Margarita said.

Judy replied, “The Google machine says: In almost every part of the world, the dragonfly symbolizes change, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization—understanding the deeper meaning of life.”

“Thank you for noticing the dragonfly, Margarita. It’s special indeed!”

Trust the Perfect Unfolding 

As we begin a new year, find beauty and love in the world around you. And while we set intentions, some call resolutions, they can add unnecessary pressure. Like in nature, everything unfolds with perfect timing. We do, too. Trust in that perfect unfolding, but let’s do our part. Let us not grow stagnant or steadfast in harmful or hurtful ways. Muddy waters that churn up after a storm eventually clear; we can’t rush that. The water will calm down – the calm after the storm.

Make stillness a part of your life, too, and live with gratitude, respecting our dear Earth and each other and not fighting the current. Instead, trust and let go like a leaf in the water floating merrily down the stream. Yes, it may flow upstream for a while and get caught under a rock for a bit, but eventually, it will flow forward in perfect timing, as nature intended.

Wishing you a glorious New Year of Growth.

Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com (and now on your favorite Podcast App.)

There’s more to the story in the Garden Dilemmas Podcast:

Myles Forest Pansy Redbud – April 2023

To learn more about Myles’s memorial tree, click through to A Forest Pansy Redbud of Hope.