This handsome dragonfly and his friends like to hang around the ponds at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center because that’s where they grew up! After their mom laid them as tiny eggs at the bottom of the pond, they emerged and became dragonfly nymphs. Their childhood was spent entirely underwater eating aquatic bugs. Some species of dragonflies will stay as nymphs for five years! When they are big enough, they will go through incomplete metamorphosis, doing a slow backwards somersault out of their old skin and emerging as a full grown adult. For the short summer months, they will live as adults, eating hundreds of mosquitoes a day and enjoying new views of the pond they call home. Watch a video of a dragonfly metamorphosis: http://dragonflywebsite.com/ShowNatureVideos.cfm?action=show&videoid=39
The common daisy, Bellis perennis, is actually composed of two flowers. The disk florets are found within the yellow center and the white ray florets surround these to form the image of a single stunning bloom. If you have these beauties growing near you, you’re in luck! Not only are all types of pollinators attracted to daisies, but the leaves and blossoms of the daisy are edible and make a beautiful addition to salads! To learn more about the culinary uses of the daisy go to: http://www.britannica.com/plant/daisy
