Dragonfly Bites, Life Span, Migration, Environmental Benefits

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Do Dragonflies Bite or Sting?

Medically reviewed by Helen Chen MCMSc, PA-C — Written by Valencia Higuera — Updated on December 5, 2025

About
Bites
Benefits
Other facts
Takeaway

Dragonflies do not have a stinger but may bite if they feel threatened. But they are not dangerous to humans.

Dragonflies are colorful insects that make their presence known during the spring and summer. They’re easily identified by their shimmering wings and erratic flight pattern.

Yet, how much do you know about these prehistoric-looking winged creatures? If they’re swarming around your home, you might wonder if they’re dangerous. (Spoiler alert: They’re not!)

Keep reading to learn more about dragonflies, including their habitat, how they benefit the environment, and whether you need to worry about bites or stings.

What are dragonflies?

Dragonflies are distinct insects, with their long bodies, large eyes, and transparent wings.

While you might only see a certain type of dragonfly around your home, there are more than 5,000 species throughout the world. They can be found anywhere, but typically live near shallow freshwater, such as ponds, streams, lakes, and wetlands.

They have a short life span

Dragonflies have a short life span, with many living for only 1 to 2 weeks, although some can live up to 8 weeks. Because of their short life span, dragonflies spend most of their time eating or mating.

Mating begins when a male dragonfly approaches a female dragonfly and attaches himself to her thorax with his legs. This results in a tandem fly, at which point their sex organs join and the couple’s body forms a closed circle for fertilization.

They lay their eggs in a water source

After fertilization, female dragonflies lay their eggs in a water source. The egg hatches within days or months, and the dragonfly begins its larval stage, which can last, on average, up to 2 years depending on the species.

These aquatic baby dragonflies have large eyes, oval abdomens, six legs, and gills for breathing.

They eat their prey while in flight

Over time, the baby dragonfly starts breathing air, and its head, legs, and wings emerge from the larval skin. Once an adult dragonfly emerges, it quickly learns how to target its prey and eat while in flight.

Dragonflies prey on mosquitoes, small flies, butterflies, bees, and other dragonflies.

Some migrate, like birds

Similar to birds, some dragonflies also exhibit migration behavior. In North America, migration typically occurs in late summer and early fall, where certain species migrate from Canada to Mexico.

There are approximately 326 species of dragonflies in North America, yet only 18 species migrate on a regular basis. These swarms of dragonflies are so vast that they’ve been seen from space.

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Do dragonflies bite or sting?

If you see a lot of dragonflies where you live, you may ask whether these winged insects bite. The short answer is yes.

Keep in mind, though, that dragonflies don’t have a stinger, so they won’t sting you. They do, however, have teeth. So a bite is possible.

Dragonflies aren’t aggressive insects, but they can bite out of self-defense when they feel threatened. The bite isn’t dangerous, and in most cases, it won’t break human skin.

Do dragonflies have environmental benefits?

Interestingly, dragonflies are important to the environment. Dragonflies mostly feed on mosquitoes and other insects, so they do an excellent job of reducing mosquito populations around homes.

Dragonflies can eat hundreds of mosquitoes each day. If you notice an increase of dragonflies around your home, you may also notice a decrease in mosquitoes, horseflies, and other pesky insects.

And since dragonflies play a big role in controlling the mosquito population, they also help reduce the likelihood of getting infectious diseases carried by some mosquitoes, such as malaria, West Nile virus, and dog heartworms.

Other interesting facts about dragonflies

Here’s a look at a few other key interesting facts about dragonflies:

1. Prehistoric dragonflies were bigger

Most of the dragonflies you see today are small and have a wingspan of about 2 to 5 inches. However, researchers believe that prehistoric dragonflies were much larger in size. Some of these winged insects had wingspans of more than 2 feet.

2. The stage from egg to adult varies

The life cycle from egg to larval to adult isn’t a set period, but rather varies depending on the temperature. Dragonflies that hatch in colder water will take longer to develop into an adult, up to 5 years. Yet, dragonflies that hatch in warmer waters may become adults in about 2 years.

3. They’re strong flyers

In the insect world, dragonflies are some of the strongest flyers, with the ability to fly farther and higher than many other winged insects. They can fly at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.

4. They have impressive eyesight

The eye of a dragonfly has about 30,000 lenses — a human eye only has one lens. As a result, the dragonfly has the ability to see all around itself.

5. They have a lot of enemies

Even though the dragonfly will prey on horseflies, mosquitoes, and other insects, it also has its own enemies. Adult dragonflies can be eaten by larger dragonflies, spiders, birds, and frogs. In the larval stage, its enemies include frogs, toads, and fish.

The bottom line

Dragonflies are more than agile flyers. They’re interesting creatures consisting of more than 5,000 species around the world, with a life cycle that can take up to 5 years.

They’re also great for natural pest control. So, the next time you see one flying around your home, don’t swat it away — it’s actually doing you a favor.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Dragonflies. (n.d.).https://gardens.si.edu/exhibitions/traveling/habitat/dragonflies
Dragonfly and damselfly. (n.d.).https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/dragonfly-and-damselfly
Hodny J. (2022). The life & times of the dragonfly.https://www.gbbg.org/the-life-times-of-the-dragonfly/
Steen P. (2015). Bird, bats, butterflies, and dragonflies: Part 4.https://www.hrwc.org/bird-bats-butterflies-and-dragonflies-part-4/

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Medically reviewed by Helen Chen MCMSc, PA-C — Written by Valencia Higuera — Updated on December 5, 2025

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