Meet the Blue Damselfly

The Common Blue Damselfly -or Familiar bluet (Enallagma civile) is an insect found near bodies of water and near grasslands where they mate and lay eggs. Damselflies are a very common sight in our area during the summer and fall months. Most of the damselflies life cycle is spent in water during the larval stage, where they sit near vegetation in still water and catch prey that swims past. Damselflies serve as indicators of creek health and react to things like pollution and increased nutrient levels in watersheds and their riparian habitats. A cool fact about these insects is that they are some of the oldest insect types in the world, along with dragonflies, both having been around for over 300 million years. To find out more about Damselflies, visit https://dnr.maryland.gov/.../habitat/wadamselflies.aspx

This edition of Wildlife Wednesday provided by Zander Hine, Student Board Member