Damsels and Dragons for Your Water Garden Enjoyment

Last week (mid January 2007) I drove 200 kms to visit the farm of world famous ornithologist Dr Warwick Tarboton who along with his wife, Michele, has written 2 fascinating books about Dragonflies and Damselflies. The one about Dragonflies is now out of print but will probably be reprinted soon. It's still possible to get the "Field guide to Damselflies of South Africa" from book stores and Amazon.

Warwick and Michele have a specially constructed Dragonfly pond in their garden. They use this to conduct important research work on these insects. It doesn't contain any fish since these would eat the nymph form of the Dragonflies. It does have a wide variety of indigenous plant life including waterlilies and local sedge species.

Their farm is close to the world famous wetland called Nyslvlei some 25 kms from Modimolle previously named Nylstroom.

These books written by Warwick and Michele opened up a whole new perspective on pond keeping that I was aware of but only sub-consciously so. For example I had never written an article about these amazing creatures with their brilliant colours and amazing lifestyles.

Dragonflies and Damselflies live around water since they breed and lay eggs in suitable aquatic environments. This means virtually every pond with plants and especially reeds in them will attract these fascinating insects. And they will add great entertainment value to every pond keeper's life.

Let me tell you a bit about these Dragons and Damsels that flitter around the edge of your pond land on a stalk and chase of intruders on an ongoing basis so as to protect their turf.Maybe this will inspire you to pant a few sedges and to attract a few Dragons and damsels.

What are Dragonflies and Damselflies?

Everybody at some stage has seen these fast flying insects that can come to an abrupt stop and hover like a helicopter only to accelerate rapidly moments later.

Some are very large while others are smaller and more dainty. In fact in general the Damselfly as the name suggests is the more dainty ... slender of body, with diaphanous wings yet still having a pronounced head.

Both Dragonflies and Damselflies are sub-orders of the insect order known as Odonata. Anisoptera refers to Dragonflies and Zygoptera to Damsels.

Although almost always smaller than Dragons you can easily distinguish a Dragon ... when the Dragonfly lands it will hold its wings at right angles to its body. Always. On the other hand Damsels normally alight and fold their wings closed against their body. But not all do this.

Another differentiating point is the eyes. Damselflies have eyes on each side off the head. The eyes of Dragonflies meet in the centre on the top of the head.

I'd always mistakenly thought that these insects did not eat once hatched from the nymphal shuck. I was wrong, totally wrong. Warwick pointed out the feeding behavior to me. An insect would land on a stem. It would occasionally take a short fast flight before returning to its perch. It had just taken a feeding flight.

The males are normally the brightly coloured ones and they sit on a reed stem which they protect against invading males which want to take over their territory. The insects spend lots of time and energy fighting off rivals ... the guarded perch is an important point used to attract the more drab coloured females.

Dragonflies and Damselflies travel very great distances in windy conditions and at high speed. They also travel in "swarms" ... while I was peering into Warwick's pond quite suddenly and out of the blue about 20 Dragonflies appeared out of nowhere and the fun started. Aerial battles took place before the swarm flew off.

I would urge you to learn more about these fascinating flying insects. They are colourful and exciting and savage predators within their own world. A world that will fascinate you as it now does me.

That's what a pond or water garden is for ... enjoyment, amusement and as an educational living ecosystem in a constant state of flux.

Dr Warwick Tarboton is the author of a number of Bird Books. I

Water Gardening Introduction To Pond Keeping Part 1

Water Gardening Introduction To Pond Keeping Part 2