The Dragonfly Hero

We live in times when there is much negative news. I thought it would be of value to consider something a little less heavy in nature.

In the last couple of weeks, we in Houston have enjoyed almost daily rainfall. The rainfall has not been overly heavy, but it has been frequent.

One of the challenges of the rainfall is that mosquitoes have become oppressive. If you go out of the house for a walk without insect repellent you are sure to be in need of a blood transfusion when you return home.

The most serious issue in regard to mosquitoes is that they are carriers of disease. The American Mosquito Control Association points out, “Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism -- over one million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year. Not only can mosquitoes carry diseases that afflict humans, they also transmit several diseases and parasites that dogs and horses are very susceptible to. These include dog heartworm, West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). In addition, mosquito bites can cause severe skin irritation through an allergic reaction to the mosquito's saliva - this is what causes the red bump and itching. Mosquito vectored diseases include protozoan diseases, i.e., malaria, filarial diseases such as dog heartworm, and viruses such as dengue, encephalitis and yellow fever.”

Lately, the Zika virus has begun to plague some areas. The mosquito-borne virus is quite serious and can even impact pregnant mothers.

Why do mosquitoes exist? I do not know the answer that question. One suggestion is that mosquitoes exist so we don’t hate flies as much. To be sure the negative impact of mosquitoes on humans and animals was never God’s intention at the creation.

While on a walk this week, I noted a swarm of dragonflies. In light of the large number of mosquitoes in the neighborhood, I wondered if there was some correlation. To find the answer I did an internet search concerning the dragonfly.

I learned, “One of the benefits of having dragonflies live nearby is that they eat many times their weight in mosquitoes every day. Dragonflies also eat many different kinds of flies. Using a basket-like arrangement of their legs, adult dragonflies can actually catch and eat other bugs while they are flying.” My brief research found that the reason the dragonflies were so plentiful this year is most probably the abundance of food.

Next time you see a dragonfly recognize it is on the prowl to thin out the mosquitoes around your community.

Have a pleasant Sabbath,

Gary Smith