Dragonflies are one of the most intriguing and wonderful creatures to grace the earth. You will find dragonflies all throughout the world, with their fascinating appearance that is both unique and unusual. In Florida, there are many dragonflies that are found along our beautiful beaches and waterways. These dragonflies are often shy, but they will come out of hiding at the most inopportune times to greet you. They can even be seen hovering near the surface of the water in search of food or a mate.
Florida is host to the largest number of dragonfly species. While there are over sixty types of dragonflies in Florida, there are also numerous subspecies. Some of the most common and popular are the coral dragonfly, black-legged dragonfly, large golden dragonfly and the water dragonfly. The most recent arrivals are the coral and black-legged dragonflies. They are not true dragonflies but belong to the insect category called “Coccolithidae.”
Many believe that Florida is the source of the eastern black-legged dragonfly, which was introduced to the United States from its native lands in the 1970’s. At the present time, there are about a hundred of these dragonflies in the Florida system. This species is the most active at night and during the summer months, they are the most colorful. Most of the dragonflies in Florida hibernate during winter, while a few of them get active again in the spring.