| 1. There
are many different kinds of dragonflies. The Common Darter dragonflies (right) are mating.
The red coloured male clasps the female by the neck. She places the tip of her body
against the male and her eggs are fertilised. |
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2. After mating the female dragonfly lays her many eggs. Most
dragonflies lay their eggs in water or mud. |
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3. The larvae which hatch out from the eggs live in water. This may be for
as long as 4 or 5 years. They go through a series of stages. Each stage is larger than the
last. |
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| 5. The
adult dragonfly slowly emerges (above). Internal fluids are pumped around the body and
wings which gradually expand to adult size. NEXT |
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4. When it is fully
developed, the dragonfly larva crawls out of the water and up something like a nearby
plant stem. Unlike insects such as butterflies, they do not have the resting stage known
as pupation. There is no chrysalis. |
