Dragon and Damselflies – Nature’s Prehistoric Insect Hunters

Attract a few of nature’s prehistoric insect hunters, the dragonflies and damselflies, to your garden. You’ll enjoy their beauty, acrobatics and fewer insects thanks to their eating habits.

Dragonflies and damselflies eat mosquitoes, flies, gnats and other insects. A few strategic plantings and a water feature can help you attract them to your landscape.

If you have a nearby population of these beneficial insects, it will be easier to get a population started in your own yard.

Add a water feature with varying depths to provide a variety of plants these insects need to live and multiply. The immature nymphs live in the water. They need the habitat provided by plants growing in at least 2 feet of water. Plus, this depth protects them from predators like raccoons. The adults need reeds and other plants that grow in shallow water for laying their eggs.

A bit more information: Add a few shrubs around your water feature. These plants provide perches for the adults, giving them a great vantage point for hunting other insects.

Tags

sustainable-gardening beneficial-insects

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