With the weather turning a touch milder, we have been lured outside to spend time not just at the beach, but to also hang out in our back yards, local parks, camping sites and the like. The only problem I see with all this fabulously nice weather is that the mosquitoes take advantage of our taste for the outdoors and do what they can to get a taste of us.
As a youngster, I hated mosquitoes because of the dumb little bumps they would leave as their vampire-like calling cards. Nowadays, we fear much more than being marked with red bumps; we worry about such diseases as West Nile Virus and Zika. Over the last several months, the Signal Tribune has run many articles regarding the dangers of mosquitoes and have shared information on how to keep those nasty, winged, needle-nosed creatures at bay.
We have encouraged folks to wear long sleeves, remove standing water from yards and apply bug repellent to help keep those bug-borne illnesses from infecting our Long Beach and Signal Hill residents. Today I am happy to report that I have a new suggestion for mosquito busting!bring more dragonflies into our neighborhoods. How? Take a look at the blog entry below from Leslie Triplett, The Pond Gal. She and my buddy Eric “The Pond Digger” Triplett have a pond construction business in Yucaipa, and according to them, dragonflies are the mortal enemy of mosquitoes and can help keep us safe from diseases carried by those pesky winged menaces.
Dragonflies are almost universally loved and admired.
They grace our artwork [and] clothing, and now they can adorn, and protect, your yard. From their envy-worthy flying skills, to their marvelous jewel tones, they seem to have it all.
Dragonflies have an added bonus; they eat mosquitoes!
If you are worried about mosquitoes or West Nile Virus, simply put in a pond. You will attract dragonflies and combat mosquitoes and West Nile at the same time. Plus, ponds are cool. There are as many as 5,000 species of dragonflies and damselflies, none of which are actually “flies” but they do a lot of flying.
Damselflies often fly under the misnomer of dragonflies, though they are a separate species. The easiest way to tell them apart is by their wings: When dragonflies perch, their wing spread is flat out to the sides, as they are portrayed in most artwork. Damselflies perch with their wings pinched together above their backs.
Dragonfly/damselfly facts:
Their order, Odonata, actually translates as toothed ones, and dragonflies are called this for good reason: they are voracious carnivores, from the moment they hatch, until the end of their lifespan, which can be as long as a year for some species.
While in their larval state, dragonflies live underwater, breathing though their butts, (yes, I said butts!) consuming tadpoles, other insect larvae, (like mosquito larvae), small fish and even each other.
Once they take flight, they eat flying insects, including mosquitoes, and can consume hundreds per day.
While most predators in the wild only catch about 25 percent of their targeted meals, dragonflies have an astonishing 90-percent catch rate.
Their flying maneuvers, which include hovering, moving side to side, zooming straight up or down and flying backwards, along with their nimble six-footed, in-the-air grabbing technique, helps them capture those dirty mosquitoes like no one else can. Even a bug zapper is not as good as a dragonfly!
The one drawback is that dragonflies are territorial, with males duking it out for air space and females. This may mean for the best mosquito control, you need multiple ponds to attract many dragonflies.
So, build a pond, and help fight West Nile Virus and those pesky mosquitoes. Your neighbors will thank you. For tips on how to build your own pond, visit theponddigger.com.
