How to Catch and Hold a Dragonfly

There are literally hundreds of different species of dragonflies. They come in many bright colors and beautiful patterns. They are, arguably, as beautiful as butterflies, but because they fly so fast it is often difficult to see them in any detail. The reason they fly so fast is because they are insect world's equivalent of an air to air missile. Dragonflies, you see, eat other flying insects. Not only that, but they catch them right out of the air as they are flying. To do that, dragonflies must fly faster and be more maneuverable than their prey. Their flying prowess is wonderful for them, but not so great for spectators who want to see their colors and figure out what species they might belong to.

• Photo slideshow of the Crimson-ringed Whiteface dragonfly

The Fear of Dragonflies

Maybe it's the dragonfly's reputation as a predator or maybe it's the viciousness of the aquatic dragonfly nymph, but these colorful winged missiles have a reputation as having a nasty bite-or a nasty sting, most people aren't really sure which. Most people do know however, that dragonflies are something to be feared. Actually, however, most people are completely wrong on this account. Dragonflies don't bite and have no stinger at all. They are, as a matter of fact, completely harmless to people.

How to Hold a Dragonfly

Those studying dragonflies often hold them in their bare hands in order to get a closer look. The proper way to hold a dragonfly without injuring it, is to fold its wings upward into a vertical position relative to its body so that the left and right side wings are touching, and then hold the wings between the thumb and index finger near the wingtips.

Holding them is easy; the hard part is catching them. Dragonflies, as I've already mentioned, are fast and nimble fliers. Like most insects, they also have compound eyes that give them a very wide field of view. This means that even when they do alight on a leaf or a blade of grass, they will probably see you coming and take wing before you can get close enough to reach out and grab them.

How to Catch a Dragonfly

Fortunately, we humans are a good deal more technologically advanced than dragonflies. As of right this minute, the absolute pinnacle of technology when it comes to catching dragonflies is the butterfly net. The butterfly net should have a long handle which allows you to take a swipe with the net at stationary dragonflies without getting close enough to scare them off. You can try netting them from the air, but you may find you have better luck waiting for them to land.

The net portion should be a fine mesh that is transparent enough for you to see inside the net. The net portion should be long enough that it flops over the net frame so that it effectively closes itself off, preventing whatever you have netted from flying out. That way you can reach in and grab the dragonfly by its wings.

Photo Slideshow of the Cherry-faced Meadowhawk, a beautiful red dragonfly

Once you have it in hand, you can examine the dragonfly closely, noting its features and coloration in order to help determine the species to which it belongs. In some case, however, a microscopic examination to differentiate between closely related dragonfly species may be required. Once you have finished, it should be released. Adult dragonflies do not make good pets because of their dietary habits and their high-speed flying.