IN THE GARDEN: A visit from a dragonfly

Dragonflies are the souls of departed loved ones returned to earth to reassure their loved ones that they are doing OK.

Sounds like a fairytale.

But I did notice that amid the hectic buzz of our Christmas family celebrations, a dragonfly would suddenly appear, quietly flitting about us.

Sometimes encroaching so close to what was happening it seemed to be eavesdropping.

It’s a time like this when the family are together that you miss lost loved ones most.

I like to think that this visiting dragonfly represented my late mom who wanted to be part of our family gatherings.

Sometimes when prayers to God were desperate and needed an extra messenger, I’d call on her in spirit to intervene.

Then as a real or imaginary confirmation, a dragonfly would appear suddenly out of nowhere.

That could just be a mere coincidence.

What does not happen by chance is the timely appearance of a dragonfly when we are sitting around outdoors enjoying a braai, company or simply doing nothing.

That’s when the dragonfly’s visit is most welcomed as they swoop in to devour the pesky mosquitoes.

A dragonfly’s most helpful work for man is as an excellent mosquito pest control agent.

The pretty winged insect can consume up to 100 mosquitoes in a day.

Apart from consuming adult mosquitoes and mosquito larvae in their aquatic nymph stage, they do eat a variety of flying insects including flies.

These dainty fairy-like insects have been around on earth for 200-million years, longer than the dinosaurs.

Another interesting fact is that dragonflies, which have massive globular eyes, have souped-up colour vision which is better than is seen in the entire animal world.

Here is how to create a sanctuary for dragonflies where they can mate, nest and thrive.

Don’t use pesticides in the garden. These not only harm the dragonflies but poison the insects the dragonflies feed on.

Grow plants that attract butterflies too so you may enjoy a colourful and vibrant spectacle as both creatures have very different ways of movement.

An example enjoyed recently was on viewing one of the farms on the Bedford Gardens on Show tour in November where we were delighted by the great number of butterflies gently flying around accompanied by dragonflies zig-zagging around the colourful blooms.

The flower garden was planted closely with Inca lilies, roses, poppies and valerian.

Mimic nature by arranging logs and stones from the area in piles.

This provides perfect places for the dragonflies to perch, providing lookout points for spotting prey.

From there, they use the space to launch into their aerial acrobatics displays and mating flights.

Create a water feature or fountain

Dragonflies love being near water as they need it for their aquatic larval stage.

Make sure the water is at least 61cm deep, necessary for dragonfly larvae to develop safely.

Finish off the edges of the pond with rocks and aquatic plants providing the dragonflies a safe breeding ground and a choice of perches for them to rest.

A pump or filter improves water circulation and oxygen levels, important for a healthy ecosystem.

Plant native vegetation

Indigenous plants attract dragonflies. Black-eyed Susans, indigenous irises, cat’s tails, salvia, marigolds, lavender, Goldenrod and any tall marginal plants.

Floating waterlilies provide the perfect egg-laying spot for dragonflies.

Apparently, dragonflies favourite coloured flowers are blue and white.

Reeds and grasses provide perches too.

Interesting facts are: They are cold-blooded creatures that rely on the warmth of the sun to regulate their body temperatures; they sleep on the land tucking away in bushes or under leaves; dragonflies live for up to six months; they have wings that repel water which means they can fly in the rain.

Overhanging branches are important

They love overhanging branches which serve for perching, hunting and emerging from their nymph stage.

Adult male dragonflies use these branches and tall vegetation as a lookout point to survey their territory and hunt for prey.

The males repeatedly return to the same perch to ward off male rivals in the area.

This vantage point allows them to ambush their prey by darting out to catch it and then returning to the perch to consume it.

Being cold-blooded, they rest and bask in the sun’s warmth to regulate their body’s temperature and warm their wing muscles for flight.

These resting places also serve as a place to rest and sleep overnight.

The life-cycle transition is dependent on overhanging or emergent vegetation to accomplish the final stages of its life.

After living for months or years as a nymph, once fully grown it crawls up the stem of an emergent plant stem or overhanging branch to moult.

When the nymph’s skin cracks the adult dragonfly emerges.

Then after a few hours, its new wings harden and it can take its first flight.

The overhanging branches provide a safe, elevated place from where this process can take place.

As part of the setting, do also maintain open spaces that dragonflies require to hunt and patrol.

Achieve this by trimming overgrown trees and shrubs, creating clearings for the insects’ aerial displays and hunting.

In the surrounds, create a wild meadow garden of indigenous perennials as the stage for the dragonflies and other insects to perform, buzzing around and doing their acrobatics.