Dragonfly Summer

[LuvOrlando]

Anyone else have an unusually large amount of dragonflies this year? They are beautiful and I like them so it's not a complaint, just an observation. Maybe we have so many because the mild winter allowed more nymphs to survive than normal? Not that it is a bad thing to have them gobbling the mosquitoes, I think Dengue and Zika were on the uptick in the spring but I bet thats being handled by Mother Nature.

The spiders were huge in June, we might have Harry Potter Size by October but there are a lot of birds this year too & I think they like spiders.

 

[Once.Upon.A.Time]

I’ve been seeing a lot of dragonflies here too!

 

[easyas123]

We've had a fair uptick in them over the last two weeks, but we usually do start seeing them more & more this time of year, so normal for us (in MD)

 

[Smugpugmug]

Not really. In my area it's mostly cicadas and spotted lanternflies. The lanternflies are literally everywhere. It's so difficult to sit outside without them swarming you.

 

[BrianL]

I have seen more than usual too. They hover around the pool a lot. They don't bother me either - they're kinda cool!

 

[easyas123]

spotted lanternflies.

Two years ago we were watching - searching for them as we have a crop on our farm that they are really detrimental to. We saw one, reported it to the Dept. of Ag and whatnot. Last year we saw a few, and this year it seems they are everywhere it's shocking how they have multiplied over the past two years.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We always have some, but I do feel like we've been seeing a few more than usual. I love dragonflies!

 

[Smugpugmug]

Two years ago we were watching - searching for them as we have a crop on our farm that they are really detrimental to. We saw one, reported it to the Dept. of Ag and whatnot. Last year we saw a few, and this year it seems they are everywhere it's shocking how they have multiplied over the past two years.

Yeah I reported them the first time I saw them but now they're literally everywhere. I have to watch my puppy super closely when she's outside because she wants to eat them all. She loves laying outside but she can't with the lanternflies everywhere.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Two years ago we were watching - searching for them as we have a crop on our farm that they are really detrimental to. We saw one, reported it to the Dept. of Ag and whatnot. Last year we saw a few, and this year it seems they are everywhere it's shocking how they have multiplied over the past two years.

Oh that is a shame, what crop is that? Can you cover your crop with mesh or something to help?

 

[easyas123]

Oh that is a shame, what crop is that? Can you cover your crop with mesh or something to help?

Grapes.

 

[tony67]

Well... there was a swarm of them in Rhode Island yesterday
https://weather.com/science/nature/video/dragonfly-swarm-rhode-island-beach-insane-westerly

 

[amcnj]

So far this year lightening bugs have been the only insect I have noticed more of.

 

[RF536]

Noticing a lot more in my area of Michigan.

 

[barkley]

the babies are hilarious! they look like woodstock-flying upside down, sideways, bumping into each other!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I really do love them. The idea that they morph from one thing into something else like butterflies is super cool, although it is not as pretty as a cocoon to drag yourself out of the muck to fly but still it is very cool.... in some ways cooler to be honest just not as pretty to look at.
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