Florida dragonflies create a fall buzz in Sarasota.

Florida dragonflies have been out in force these past few weeks and for good reason. They’ve had the summer to grow and hatch, and now they’re gobbling up mosquitoes by the thousands.

So much so that last week a Sarasota resident approached an ArtisTree manager with some concerns about his glittering little aerialists. Said he thought they were ugly and wondered if they were eating his plants since they were landing on them all the time. He was also afraid of getting bitten.

Florida dragonflies
While dragonflies are known for gobbling up mosquitoes, they rarely bite humans and don’t eat plants.

No sir, we told the resident. Those little guys are a form of living pest control and are commonly seen in our fall months. They’re eating your mosquitoes. Your flies. And sometimes even each other. Lucky for you and other local residents, some 100 species make Florida their full-time home.

The homeowner was visibly relieved, although he said he still thought they were ugly.

Approximately 100 dragonfly species make Florida their full-time home.

Get a jump start on your own dragonfly population.

If you’d like to get a jump start on your dragonfly population for next year, here’s what you need to know. They’re attracted to bright blooms and appreciate warm water to lay their eggs in. Otherwise, they’ll hide when conditions are cool and cloudy. One dragonfly can consume 30 to hundreds of mosquitoes in one day. That’s because they move around fast and can reach up to 30 miles per hour. Their speed also helps them avoid predator birds and hungry frogs.

Need another reason to become friendlier with dragonflies? They’re associated with several spiritual meanings ranging from change and transformation to good luck. Unfortunately, we forgot to tell the concerned homeowner about that part. But at least now YOU know.

HOA landscape maintenance

Call ArtisTree & get your dream landscape off the ground.

ArtisTree provides landscape maintenance services for HOA communities throughout SW Florida. Contact Mike Casper at 941.488.8897 for a proposal. Services include irrigation/water management, turf/ornamental maintenance, mulching and seasonal color.

Want to get your Sarasota landscape renovation started? Browse ArtisTree’s portfolio and then call Jenni Lassen at 941.488.8897 to meet with one of our award-winning designers. We’ve proudly served Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties since 1990.

DEEPER ROOTS. HIGHER STANDARDS.®

 

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