Dragonfly In The Scientific Spotlight at Bugfest

By Laura Pellicer,

Published September 13, 2017 at 12:21 PM EDT

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The common whitetail is a very common species in the Triangle Area that you may find at nearly any pond. Females, like the one pictured here, spend most of their time away from water, hunting in fields and other buggy areas.

C.L. Goforth

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(Dragonfly adult emerging) Dragonflies typically leave the water to transform into adults, crawling up a plant or other structure.

C. L. Goforth

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(Dragonfly nymph) Dragonflies spend the majority of their lives underwater as nymphs. Dragonfly nymphs have a unique mouthpart, an extendable structure that they use to grab and hold prey so they can feed.

C. L. Goforth

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You’ll often see dragonflies, like this Halloween pennant, sitting on top of tall grasses or trees, looking out over grassy areas. They are often sitting and watching for food.";

C. L. Goforth

The dragonfly is often celebrated for its glittering body and elegant flight, but the insect is also a ferocious predator and a boon for mosquito-ridden areas. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will celebrate the many facets of the dragonfly this year at its annual “Bugfest.”

Researchers will highlight unique behaviors specific to some of the thousands of dragonfly species. Host Frank Stasio speaks with The Dragonfly Woman, entomologist Christine Goforth, about the prehistoric past of the bug and how dragonflies may be indicators of climate change.

Zack Lemann, curator of animal collections for the Audubon Butterfly Garden Insectarium and insect chef, talks about how the dragonfly is consumed in different cultures and how he plans on serving them up at the “Bugfest” this Saturday, Sept. 16.