Are dragonflies insects? A detailed explanation of the taxonomic classification of dragonflies

In the countryside in summer, we often see dragonflies flying around, or resting on lotus leaves. So, are dragonflies insects? Here is an introduction for you.

1. Are dragonflies insects?

Dragonflies are insects, belonging to the order Odonata in the class Insecta, and are divided into the family Libellulidae and the family Aeshnidae. They are hemimetabolous insects, going through only three stages in their lifetime: egg, nymph, and adult. In the stage of transforming from nymph to adult, they do not need to go through the process of forming a pupa. The nymphs live in water, breathe with rectal tracheal gills, and prey using a highly developed mask. They generally need to molt more than 11 times and take 2 years or more before they can molt and emerge as adults.

2. Are dragonflies beneficial insects?

Dragonflies are beneficial insects. Whether nymphs or adults, they mostly feed on pest insects. They are carnivorous. Early-instar nymphs feed on small crustaceans, protozoans, and other aquatic animals; later-instar nymphs eat chironomid larvae, aquatic beetles, and snails, and even small fish; adults, in addition to being able to prey in large numbers on mosquitoes, flies, and other insects harmful to humans, can also prey on some butterflies, moths, bees, and the like.

3. How many eyes do dragonflies have?

Dragonflies are the insects with the most eyes in the world. Their eyes are large and bulging, occupying the vast majority of the head. They have three simple eyes, and each compound eye is made up of about more than 28,000 small eyes. Although humans can see a colorful world made up of red, blue, and green, dragonflies have up to 33 different photosensitive proteins and may be able to see more colors than humans.

Dragonflies are the winged insects with the best eyesight in the animal kingdom. Their eyesight is excellent, and they can also look up, down, forward, and backward without turning their heads. Their compound eyes can also measure speed. When an object moves in front of the compound eye, each “small eye” reacts in turn, and through processing, the speed of the target object's movement can be determined.