Do dragonflies/damselflies prefer certain flowers?

Question by cnelligan2: Do dragonflies/damselflies prefer certain flowers?

Best answer:

Answer by raven s
Hi,

Flowers will not attract dragonflies. They eat other insects, generally flies, gnats and MOSQUITOES. They will be attracted to the same areas as these buggers. They will be found around water, as this is their breeding area–just like the mosquito. Thus, a water garden will attract dragonflies to the food source and to the water for egg-laying.

Most dragonflies are particular about the ponds they’ll inhabit. They require shelter, sunlight, unpolluted water, emergent plants and hunting areas. If you’d like to attract dragonflies to your garden, it’s important to understand these requirements and invest the time to provide for them.

A pond that is ideal dragonfly habitat varies in depth. It should be shallow at the edges and a minimum of two feet deep in the center. Deep water is important for dragonfly nymphs. It offers them a protected place to hide from predators such as raccoons. Having varied depths in your dragonfly pond is also important because it will allow a variety of different vegetation. A pond that is 20 feet in diameter is the size the British Dragonfly Society recommends for attracting dragonflies. Although a 20 foot diameter is ideal, if it is not practical for your yard, you don’t necessarily need a large pond to attract dragonflies. Many people report success in attracting dragonflies by adapting plastic wading pools and wooden half-barrels. Whatever the size of your pond, be sure to locate it where it is protected from wind and will receive midday sun.

Dragonflies are strict carnivores, so neither the nymphs or adults need water plants for food, but underwater plants are a critical requirement for dragonflies. Underwater plants provide dragonfly nymphs with places to rest, places to hunt for food, and places and hide from predatory fish. Water plants that stick up above the water’s surface provide excellent perching places for adults.

Dragonflies don’t rely on specific host plants to nourish their young the way butterflies do, but some species of dragonfly use water plants as nurseries. They insert their eggs into the soft stems of plants. Pond vegetation is also critical for dragonflies because the nymphs crawl up the water plants when they emerge and make the transformation from water creatures to free-flying adult dragonflies.

The plants you surround your pond with are almost as important as the water plants in it. Never mow the border of your dragonfly pond. Let the grasses and rushes grow. Plant some shrubs within a few feet of the water to provide more perching sites. Buttonbush and seedbox are good choices for a dragonfly pond’s edge. Be sure not to disturb any wild habitat when you stock your pond with plants. Many garden shops and catalog suppliers now sell all kinds of plants for water gardens. Look for species that are native to your area.

Since it can take some time for pond plants to get established, you can place some perching sticks in the middle of your pond while you are waiting for your vegetation to grow above the surface of the water. Ordinary bamboo stakes, like the the kind you might use to stake tomato plants, work very well.

I hope this has been helpful to you. Best wishes!

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