adult
dragonfly­

Theolderversionhasthreebodysegments.Likeallinsects,ithasahead,thorax,andabdomen.Ithassixlegs.Ithastwopairsofwings.Itseyesareclosetogether.Theytouch.Anditsbodyisbrightly colored.

dragonfly­ nymph

Theyoungerversionalsohasthreebodysegments.Ithassixlegs,too.Butitswingshavenotyetformed.Itseyesarefarapart.Andit'snotas colorful.


Thisisthesameanimal.Itisthesouthernhawkerdragonfly.Youarejustseeingitatdifferentpointsinits life.

Lookatthemside-by-side.Theyaredifferentversionsofthesame thing!

InsectBody Parts

head

thorax

abdomen

ChangesAhead

Allinsectsexperienceaprocessofchange.Itiscalledmetamorphosis.Mostinsectshavewhatisknownasacompletemetamorphosis.Theirbodiesmovethroughfourstages.Egg.Larva.Pupa.Adult.Dragonflieshaveanincompletemetamorphosis.Theirbodiesonlygothroughthreestages.Egg.Nymph. Adult.


SouthernhawkersarecommoninEurope.Theylivenearsmallponds.Eachdragonflybeginslifeasan egg.


Malesandfemalesmateinlatesummer.Thefemalelayshereggsinsidewaterplants.Thiskeepsthemsafefrom predators.

Ayoungdragonflyhatchesinthespring.Ithasasharppointeronitshead.Itusesthistobreakitseggopen.Whatcomesoutiscalledaprolarva.Itfreesitselffromitscovering.Thenitentersthewaterandshedsitsskin,ormolts.It isnowa nymph.


Nymphsmustmoltmanytimesastheygrow.That’sbecausetheirouterlayer,orexoskeleton,cannotgrow.Whentheinsectgetstoobig,itsskinsplits open.

Asouthernhawkernymph'sbodyisbrownandgreen.Thesecolorsmakethenymphhardertoseein the water.

A southernhawkernymphmoves underwater.

Deepbreathscausethesplittowiden.Thesouthernhawkerthenshrugsoutoftheoldskin.Nowthedragonflynymphisslightly larger.


Moltingishelpfulinanotherway.Itallowsdamagedtissuetoheal.Missinglimbscangrowagain.Yet,moltingcanbeadangeroustime.Itopensupthedragonflyto predators.

MoreMobile

Adragonflynymphcanzipthroughthewater.Itmovesbysquirtingwateroutofitsbackend.Thispropelsitforward.Thedragonflyneedstomovequickly.Itisalways hunting.


Thenymph’sbodyisbrownandgreen.Itblendsinwithpondorlakewater.It’shardforits predatorsorpreytoseeit.Butthenymphcansee them.

Itslargeeyesarealwaysscanningforprey.Thenymphneedstoeat.Itlooksforinsects,smalltadpoles,and fish.

Asouthernhawkernymph'seyesaresetfar apart.