YGARLNOFD
Answer: DRAGONFLY
A familiar sight in summer, dragonflies are often seen patrolling the air above ponds, streams and even parking lots in and around the Albany Pine Bush. These expert fliers have strong and flexible wings that enable them to fly in all directions: up, down, left, right, and even hover in a strong headwind. Ancestors of modern-day dragonflies existed on Earth over 300 million years ago.
Dragonflies have a three-stage life cycle: egg, nymph (larva) and adult. The larval stage is entirely aquatic. Dragonfly nymphs are voracious predators, hunting and feeding on aquatic creatures including tadpoles, fish and other aquatic insects. They, in turn, are eaten by birds, fish and other predatory insects. After weeks, or for some species years, the nymph leaves its aquatic home, crawls onto a log or other solid surface and rests. The outer covering of the larva splits open and the winged adult dragonfly emerges.
Like the nymphs, dragonfly adults are also predatory and feed on a variety of insects. Some are capable of eating hundreds of mosquitoes in one day! Dragonflies play an important role in the ecology of the Albany Pine Bush and benefit humans as well. This summer, head out to a pond or wetland in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve to view the beautiful diversity of dragonfly species that inhabit this landscape.
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