Most of us remember seeing Dragonflies when we were growing up.  I grew up in SW Oklahoma, and I don’t recall seeing very many of them along the creek or by the stock tanks.  However, whenever we visited my aunt and uncle, who lived on a farm in the middle of Virginia, I saw plenty of them!  And, I was fascinated!  

There was a lovely creek that ran through the property, about a mile from the house.  I spent hours at that creek, playing in the water, looking for small fish (it was a small creek) frogs, and turtles.  The creek was a clear-running stream with a sandy bottom and assorted rounded rocks.  It was lined with trees, so it was the perfect place to hang out on hot days in the summer.

I remember watching the Dragonflies zooming along the creek, sometimes just inches above the water.  There weren’t many mosquitoes, flies or small biting insects there.  The main entertainment was the gently flowing creek and the darting Dragonflies.  At the time, I didn’t know the Dragonflies were the main reason there weren’t many flies or mosquitoes, or midges.  The voracious Dragonflies were keeping the creek free of tiny stinging or biting insects.

Because their 4 wings are engineered to move independently, and their multi-faceted eyes, covering more than half their face, Dragonflies are amazingly accurate hunters.  They easily detect small flying insects, even against complicated natural backgrounds.  And, they have the speed and agility to catch them in mid-air.  Truly amazing engineering … !!!

In addition to their hunting skills, the presence of Dragonflies tells us that any nearby water sources are healthy and not contaminated with pesticides, all of which kill insects!!!  When we see Dragonflies, we know any water source in the immediate area is not poisoned!

The following is research on Dragonflies done during the past 3 years, along with the sources.  I hope all this research inspires all of us to give up pesticides and allow Nature to rebuild the natural balance that can make us all healthier!

Dragonflies are among the most efficient predators ever studied. Field and lab work summarized by UC Davis biologists in 2023 reports that dragonflies often capture up to 95% of the prey they pursue—an astonishing success rate achieved with predictive “intercept” flight and panoramic vision. Those feats aren’t just athletic showpieces; they translate into real, daily removal of flying insects from the surrounding air. biology.ucdavis.edu

Crucially for public health and comfort, a 2023 meta-analysis in Journal of Animal Ecology pooled experiments across species and habitats and found strong evidence that dragonflies and damselflies reduce mosquito abundance, validating their role as biological control agents under the right habitat conditions. Effects were strongest where aquatic nurseries (for nymphs) and foraging corridors (for adults) were conserved or restored. besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com+1

Dragonfly life cycles amplify their impact on pest insects. For months (sometimes years), aquatic nymphs hunt mosquito larvae, midges, and other invertebrates among pond plants and leaf litter; after emergence, adults take over the aerial hunt. Studies in working landscapes show this matters beyond backyard comfort. For example, 2025 research from the University of Maryland reports that well-designed farm ponds can support robust dragonfly communities that exhibit behaviors consistent with conservation biological control—useful for reducing biting flies around cattle without more chemicals. Department of Entomology

Urban ecology is catching up, too. A 2024 open-access study tracking odonates across stormwater pond networks found that connectivity among ponds boosts dragonfly occupancy, suggesting that thoughtful placement of small water bodies in cities can strengthen natural pest control at a neighborhood level. PMC

Because dragonflies split their lives between water and air, they integrate signals from aquatic and riparian habitats. New studies reaffirm their value as bioindicators:

In plain terms: when dragonflies thrive, your creek or pond is likely oxygen-rich, structurally diverse, and less polluted; when they vanish, something is off in the water—or on the banks.