Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-08-25
fHa Dragon Ply.

One ol tho mos. beautiful and bone
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one whose services are least appreciated
by ths sgriculturist, is the common
dragon fly. There are many varieties,
comprising an extensive and beautiful
group OF large sized insects, rivalling
our butterflies in gracefulness OF form
and brilliancy Of colOring, while they
excel them IN rspidity of fight. Var
Ious popular names have been gwen
them in different countries. The
French call them ''DemOiselles, the
Germans "Gauze Flies and "Virgins
of the Water" while among the Eng
lish they are known as 81 Dragon Flies, -
"Horse SINGERS" and Devils Darning
Needles" The first of the English
names is very appropriate TO the
character OF the fly, for, among other
Insects, it fully earns its title of
Dragon" 1t is not "horse singer"
however. can neither bite, sting nor
BOASDAs anu do hNNAA GdA
needle" does not sew up the mouths OF
those children who are given 20 ro-
maneing. They are perfectly harmless
TO man, and can be handled without
danger. The dragon fly belongs to the
order "Neuroptera" and the family
"LibellulidH." They have six legs
apI fnur .vipn- Ia axaraua cnaaiman-
the body attains the length of an inch
and halt or two inches. They are al
most universally dressed in tine gayest
colors. The body is variously banded
with rich shades Of blue, green and
yellow, and the wings give off the most
beautiful iridescent and metallic relec-
tions. The substance of the wings is q
delicate network, covered by thin,
transparent membrane, combining
great strength with Hghtness, which
enables it TO fly and dart upon its prey
with the greatest rapidity. The long
tail, or "needle," undoubtedly acts as
a rudder to steady Its flight. The large
head is provided with two enOrmOu:
compound eyes, composed of many
thousand facets, and their great power
Of vision Is still further increased By
three simple eyes or Ocelli, on the upper
portion of the head. The mouth Is
quite a formidable structure. The
upper lip is bread and conceals power
full tOothed mandibles, and there are
other organs of the mouth armed with
strong teeth which enable f. 70 rend and
masticate its food. The natural term
of life OF the dragon fly is about one
year. Most OF its existence is passed
IN the water in the condition of larvs
or pupa, and it inhabits the air only
three or four weeks. When about 70
complete its final transformation, the
pupa climbs up some suitable place hear
the surface Of the water, attaches Itself
firmly to some object, and in a short
time the skin opens along the back, and
from the rent there soon appears the
perfect dragon fy, who, after drying
his moist wings, trusts his untried
piLions with the fullest confidence to
the new element. in which he lives but
few short summer days. During its
existence Of three or four weeks ab )ve
the waters its whole life is a continued
good to man. II hawks over pools and
fields and through gardens, deeima.ing
swans of mosquitoes, flies, gnats and
othe- baneful insects. Their rapid
flight and enormous range Of vision
enable them to capture these insects
with ease. They destroy multitudes of
moths and millers whose Larvae are in
furious to vegetation, while they do
not injure any product of the agricul-
turist themselves. a few Of them shut
into a house would soon rad it of flies,
bugs and mosquitoes. They are per-
fectly harmless, and can be handled
with impunity, and are an interesting
subject for study, as there still re-
mains much to be learned of their nat
ural history. The dragon fly is widely
distr buted over all parts OF the globe,
but few, however, exceed in size or
beauty those of cur own country.