Dragonfly

The fastest insect — 300 million years old

Dragonflies appeared before the dinosaurs! 300 million years ago they were as big as eagles — with a 70 cm wingspan. A dragonfly moves its 4 wings separately: it flies forwards, backwards, sideways and even hovers — like a helicopter. Its eye is made of 30,000 tiny eyes and sees almost 360°. A dragonfly catches 95% of the mosquitoes it chases — no predator is that successful!

Dragonflies (Odonata, 6,000 species) appeared 325 million years ago; in the Carboniferous (Meganeura) their wingspan reached 70 cm — the air was 35% oxygen. The largest today is 19 cm. Flight: 4 independent wings, 4 muscle groups, 50 km/h (the fastest insect). The eye has 30,000 ommatidia and refreshes at 200 Hz (humans: 60). Its neurons predict prey trajectories — a 95% hunting success rate. 90% of its life is spent as an aquatic larva (nymph), 1–5 years, hunting with a toothed 'mask'; the adult lives 1–2 months. Pantala flavescens migrates 18,000 km — an insect record. Dragonflies are common in Uzbekistan's waterways too — they eat mosquitoes.

Fun facts

• 300 million years ago dragonflies were eagle-sized — 70 cm wings!
• A dragonfly catches 95 of every 100 prey — 4 times luckier than a lion.
• A dragonfly spends 90% of its life underwater as a larva.