News tagged with dragonflies

Dragonfly

A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera (from Greek ανισος anisos, "uneven" + πτερος pteros, "wings", due the hindwing being broader than the forewing). It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Dragonflies are similar to damselflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most dragonflies are held away from, and perpendicular to, the body when at rest. Dragonflies possess six legs (like any other insect), but most of them cannot walk well. Dragonflies are some of the fastest insects in the world.

Dragonflies are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, wasps, and very rarely butterflies. They are usually found around marshes, lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic.

For more information about Dragonfly, read the full article at Wikipedia.
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Tracking dragonflies on the wing

(PhysOrg.com) -- Duke University electrical engineers have developed a wirelessly powered telemetry system that is light and powerful enough to allow scientists to study the intricate neurological activity ...

Technology / Engineering

created Nov 16, 2011 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Japan opens Fukushima reactors to outside eyes

Japan took a group of journalists inside its crippled nuclear plant for the first time on Saturday, stepping up efforts to prove to the world it is on top of the disaster.

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created Nov 13, 2011 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Insects are scared to death of fish

The mere presence of a predator causes enough stress to kill a dragonfly, even when the predator cannot actually get at its prey to eat it, say biologists at the University of Toronto.

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Oct 27, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 5

Dragonflies: The flying aces of the insect world

Next time you see a dragonfly, try to watch it catch its next meal on the go. Good luck!

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Oct 04, 2011 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Microstructure-induced biomechanical responses of dragonfly wing veins

Wang's research team discovered the sandwich microstructure of dragonfly wing veins1 and recently revealed the organic junction between these longitudinal veins and membranes of the dragonfly wing2. Based on observed mic ...

Technology / Engineering

created Jun 03, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Halloween horror story -- tale of the headless dragonfly

In a short, violent battle that could have happened somewhere this afternoon, the lizard made a fast lunge at the dragonfly, bit its head off and turned to run away. Lunch was served.

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Oct 26, 2010 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (15) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Over 1,000 fish species 'threatened with extinction'

More than 1,000 freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction, reflecting the strain on global water resources, an updated global "Red List" of endangered species showed Tuesday.

Biology / Ecology

created Nov 03, 2009 | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Monarch butterflies with a heavy load

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have succeeded for the first time in fitting monarch butterflies with a radio transmitter and in tracking them from an aircraft over a long distance on their flight northwards during ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Jul 24, 2009 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0