What Draws Dragonflies: Insights of Avid Gardeners

The world of flora would not exist without the living creatures that inhabit it. Hardly do people imagine their gardens without butterflies, bees, or dragonflies. The latter are regularly underestimated, though these beautiful insects play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of your garden ecosystem.

Let us together discover what attracts dragonflies to your yard, explore what are the main reasons why they are so important, and find out what may enhance your gardening experience and bring you peace of mind.

Why Dragonflies Are Important for Your Garden

Dragonflies are mesmerizing creatures that beautifully glide through the air and captivate our attention with their iridescent wings and quick yet graceful movements.  Not many gardeners know that dragonflies help them keep their greenery healthy and thriving. 

The most important work they casually do is voraciously feed on the various pests, namely mosquitoes, flies, and gnats. It seems as if dragonflies safeguard the garden and minimize damage to your plants. Their presence of dragonflies shows that the environment is conducive enough to support a diverse range of wildlife.

Some people might wonder, “Do dragonflies pollinate?” Unfortunately for us, gardeners, dragonflies are not able to intentionally pollinate plants. There exist other insects, like bees and butterflies, whose work is to pollinate. Dragonflies, though, might accidentally pollinate a separate plant but their targets are other insects, not flowers at all. 

What Are Dragonflies Attracted To?

Dragonflies are unique creatures, for they serve as garden assistants and plant protectors.  Nevertheless, not every green zone may boast the presence of dragonflies for many reasons. Understanding what generally attracts the insects is important for creating a healthy and vibrant environment. 

1. Water.

It is an open secret that dragonflies are fans of water. The majority of dragonfly species spend their lives close to aquatic habitats and usually live near ponds, streams, and rivers since these are the right places to lay eggs and procreate. 

2. Vegetation.

What dragonflies also need is vegetation that serves as their shelter and arena for hunting. They are the artful hunters that sneak into tall grass, reeds, and shrubs to monitor the potential prey but never waste their energy, too. 

3. Sunlight.

Those who wonder what attracts dragonflies to the yard may not truly understand the nature of these insects. Like most insects, they are ectothermic, i.e., so as to regulate their body temperature they need external sources of heat, i.e., the Sun. 

4. Plants for prey

What flowers do dragonflies like? What plants are dragonflies attracted to? As we have stated before, dragonflies do not seek plants; they are hunters who need other insects to feast on. Nevertheless, some of the plants like aster, swamp milkweed, and water lily still attract dragonflies, for they serve as landing platforms and safe locations for the water-loving insects.  

While it may seem a bit illogical to encourage the presence of pests, providing a natural source of food for dragonflies can help one maintain a balanced ecosystem and, thus, reduce the need for chemical insecticides.

How Do I Attract Dragonflies? Creating a Dragonfly-Friendly Garden

Since dragonflies are both beautiful and helpful, one may think of attracting these insects and protecting the greenery with the use of nature. If you still question what plants attract dragonflies, let us make it clear one more time. Dragonflies do not feed on flowers or other plants but they hunt for insects like flies and mosquitoes. 

So as to attract more dragonflies, one should create a suitable environment and provide them with what they usually need. First, it is important to add some water features like ponds, bubblers, or fountains, depending on the area you are living in. Besides, you should remember that a healthy garden and the survival of dragonflies depend on clean water.

To make it more natural, make sure that your watering equipment is located closer to the vegetation. If not, plant extra greenery for dragonflies to have a safe space and protection. Incorporate tall grasses, shrubs, and trees into your garden to provide shelter and vertical structures for dragonflies to perch on. 

In order to attract dragonflies, it is also important to minimize chemical use. Herbicides and pesticides with chemicals can potentially harm insects like dragonflies. Thus, to create a dragonfly-friendly garden, you should minimize the use of synthetic chemicals and opt for organic pest control methods whenever possible. 

AI Plant Finder – Loyal Assistant and Plant Expert in Your Pocket

Nowadays, many gardeners all over the world rely on the information they get and store with the use of their smartphones. The industry knows its customers, this is why they merged the breakthroughs of environmental science and modern technologies. To get more tips on how to enhance your yard, protect your green friends, and keep track of your garden, plant enthusiasts introduced a powerful ally – the AI Plant Finder app. 

What are the most common trees in my region? How much water and light do my flowers need? What plants do dragonflies like? AI Plant Finder is ready to answer all of your questions and give you more than just a botany book. The app can easily identify a plant or its disease with just one photo.

The AI Plant Finder app is a rare find for beginner gardeners, who fail to water, prune, and fertilize their plants on time. Via the app, one can set up care reminders, get expert tips on how to take care of the garden properly, and find profound info about plants and treatment techniques if something goes wrong. 

All in all, those who wholeheartedly love plants can take their gardening experience to new heights, creating beautiful and thriving gardens with confidence and ease. So why wait? 

Any garden is a complex area that consists of both flora and fauna. Those who strive to know what flowers attract dragonflies and why their plants are attacked by pests are always welcome to use additional tools like AI Plant Finder to get feedback from professionals and change their gardening experience for good. Let your garden thrive with no limits!