Sarasota News Leader
October 12, 2012
Page 81
Like birds, some species of dragonfly mi- grate. Occasionally, large numbers will congregate in feeding swarms. If ever you are so lucky as to encounter one, stand qui- etly and enjoy the whirr of tiny gossamer wings. Don't worry. They won't bite.
Dragonflies are of the order Odonata. Sarasota County has 58 species; the U.S., around 480. Worldwide there are more than 5,600 species. They were around at the dawn of the age of dinosaurs, about 250 million years ago.
The Scarlet Skimmer
