Dragonflies are bellwethers of earth’s ecosystems

In the imagination of children, flying holds a special place. Folded pieces of paper become airplanes ready to be launched, eager gazes follow soaring eagles, and dragonflies are the helicopters of their fantasies.

Dragonflies (called sitara in Hindi) are indeed wonders of flight. These insects belong to a lineage whose members were among the planet’s first flying organisms. About 300 million years ago, their ancient kin had the same aerodynamic features, but with a wingspan that extended to 72 cm. The spectacle of these giant ancestors of dragonflies would have left any modern observer spellbound.