adultdragonfly
Theolderversionhasthreebodyparts.Ithassixlegs.Ithastwopairsofwings.Itseyesareclosetogether.Itsbodyhasbright colors.
dragonflynymph
Theyoungerversionhasthesamenumberofbodypartsandlegs.Itdoesn'thavewingsyet.Itseyesarefarapart.It'sless colorful.
Thisisthesameanimal.Itisthesouthernhawkerdragonfly.Youarejustseeingitatdifferentpointsofits life.
Lookat them
side-by-side.Theyaredifferentversionsofthesame thing!
head
InsectBody Parts
thorax
abdomen
ChangesAhead
Allinsectsgothroughamajorchangeinform.It'scalledmetamorphosis.Mostinsectshaveacompletemetamorphosis.Theirbodiesmovethroughfourstages.Theyareegg,larva,pupa,andadult.Dragonflieshaveanincompletemetamorphosis. Theirbodiesonlygothroughthreestages.Theyareegg,nymph,and adult.
Adragonflyhatchesfromanegg.Itmolts,orshedsitskin,inthewater.Itisnowa nymph.
Thisnymph'sbodyisbrownand green.
Asouthernhawkernymphmoves underwater.
MoreMobile
Anymphmustmoltmanytimes.That'sbecauseitsouterlayercannotgrow.It'scalledanexoskeleton.Whenthisinsectgetstoobig,itsskinsplitsopen.Anewskinis underneath.
Anymphzipsthroughthewater.Itsbodyisbrownandgreen.Itblendsinwithpondorlakewater.It'shardtospot.Itslargeeyeslookforprey.Iteatsinsectsandsmall fish.
Thisnymph'seyesaresetfar apart.
