Dragonflies of New Zealand
They dance delicately on dainty wings while ruthlessly gobbling up flies and mosquitoes, and one scientist finds them so fascinating, he moved to New Zealand because of them.
A complete guide of our native and endemic species, as well as exotics.
The sharp-eyed will have seen them dancing over bodies of water, the length and breadth of the country, most commonly in wilderness areas, but also often in city parks and our own gardens. Dragonflies are remarkable creatures – fierce hunters with impressive flying skills and often intricately coloured bodies. New Zealand has 10 species, many of them endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else on earth. Bulgarian entomologist Milen Marinov has been obsessed with dragonflies for over 30 years, and they are the main reason he came and settled in this country 12 years ago. “They are the prettiest insects,” he explains. “Nothing compares to their beauty, elegance and flight. And because they’ve been around for 200 million years, they have many stories to tell us.”
Milen and photographer Mike Ashbee have been busy seeking out dragonflies and their close relatives the damselflies – collectively members of one insect group, Odonata – in order to compile a new field guide and natural history, Dragonflies & Damselflies of New Zealand.
One of the things Milen finds so fascinating about these creatures is their lifecycle. They spend their early years as naiads, living in the water (some species develop in burrows), until at last the dragonfly emerges, sheds its old body and takes flight for a short but glorious life of mostly mating and hunting.
“Dragonflies are a good indicator of environmental pollution,” Milen explains. “They like clean water and clean air, so having them around is a really good sign. And in New Zealand they are around us all the time, even in my garden in Christchurch I’ve seen them flying past. You just have to be careful to look for them.”
It benefits us to have dragonflies near our houses, as they are voracious predators that kill flies and mosquitoes. In fact, a single dragonfly can eat 30 to 100 mosquitoes in a day.
If you want to attract them to your backyard, it is simple. “Build a pond and wait for them, they will definitely come,” Milen promises.
The ideal pond serves the differing needs of both the naiads and the fully-fledged dragonflies. It doesn’t have to be large, but it is helpful if it has a deep area. Standing freshwater is the preferred habitat and, rather than the area around it being perfectly groomed, it is better to have some rough weedy growth. “You need sunny and shady spaces, some vegetation for the naiads to cling to, and the pond should be sited near bushes or trees as when the dragonflies emerge they are very vulnerable,” explains
Milen. “They have soft bodies so fly to vegetation to hide from birds that will catch and eat them.”
In the North Island, your pond is likely to attract dragonfly species such as Sentry and Red Percher, or even the Baron if the pond is large enough. In the South Island, a larger pond with a deep central area should attract the Yellow Spotted dragonfly and perhaps a few Rangers too.
“Some dragonflies are curious and they’ll come close to you, although generally they avoid people,” says Milen. “Their eyes are built to detect movement so if you stay still you may have a better chance of seeing them. Some patrol the margins of the pond so you should be able to watch them from the edge of the water.”
Milen spotted his first New Zealand dragonfly over Victoria Lake in Hagley Park and he has even noticed them in central Auckland’s Albert Park.
Unfortunately, urban gardens are unlikely to attract any of the giant dragonflies unless they are close to a natural habitat with plenty of mossy wet soil where they can dig their burrows.
Milen’s personal favourite is the Mountain Giant. “It’s one of the most ancient in the world and it’s an interesting colour – a soft brown – and is an amazing species when you look really close.”
It is likely that the deforestation after the first European settlers arrived adversely affected New Zealand’s dragonflies. However, thanks to conservation efforts, and plenty of protected wilderness areas and wetlands, the population is looking pretty healthy today.
There is some concern climate change may create more favourable conditions for the tropical species and they might start to compete with the natives, but all in all, Milen believes things are looking good for New Zealand’s dragonfly species. “I’m very optimistic for their future,” he says. ✤
Dragonflies & Damselflies of New Zealand by Milen Marinov and Mike Ashbee (Auckland University Press, $49.99).
1Bush giant dragonfly Our largest endemic
dragonfly’s body is soft chocolate brown with pale yellowish cream spots. It lives on the forest margins and scrublands, and feeds on cicadas, butterflies and wasps. Adults spend time warming up their bodies on rocks and asphalt roads (many are crushed by passing vehicles). They breed on the banks of streams and springs, and you are most likely to spot them in forested areas.
2Mountain giant dragonfly This endemic dragonfly
loves the high country of the South island. It has a dark body with pale yellowish cream bands and spots. The naiads live in burrows for five to six years before emerging, usually taking their first flight at dawn. Mountain tracks in tussock grass areas, particularly where there are lots of streams, are the best places to see one. They fly with a slow, noisy flight and often perch on rocks.
3Lancer dragonfly A large native dragonfly,
the lancer is widespread through the country. It has a dark brown body with greenish yellow stripes and many yellow flecks. It can be seen even in busy city gardens, flying along the margins of ponds. Another good place to hunt them are coastal lakes.
4Dusk dragonfly Notable for its drab,
green body, this endemic dragonfly dwells in the forested streams of the North Island. They can be hard to spot, preferring shady places, although they may go hunting for insects in clearings when the sky is overcast. 5Yellow spotted dragonfly Easy to pick out
with its black body and bright yellow spots, there are lots of these endemic dragonflies across the South Island and they are also common in the North Island. Yellow spotted dragonflies prefer large, open bodies of water, and the Taupo area is a good place to spy them.
6Ranger dragonfly You may see this common
endemic dragonfly throughout most of the country. It has a dark body with a metallic sheen and flecks of pale yellow to dull orange. Ranger dragonflies like sheltered glades and densely planted areas around standing water, breeding in boggy ponds and weedy lakes.
7Red percher dragonfly Our smallest native dragonfly
has a distinctive colour that changes over their fascinating lifecycle. As they mature, the males become blood red and the females, a light ochre. They are common in the North Island and can also be found in wetland areas of the west coast of the South Island.
8Common glider dragonfly This exotic dragonfly
may have flown here from Australia or New Caledonia, helped by the winds. It is now found in the wetlands and lakes of the Far North, and is unmistakable thanks to large colour patches at the base of the hindwings. In males, these are russet brown with red veins and in females, dark brown.
9Baron dragonfly This is a large, pale, tropical
dragonfly that can often be found around lakes and pools in the North Island. Its body is ochre to pale yellow overlaid with black markings. They breed in still water so wetlands, lakes and reservoirs are good places to look out for them. 10Sentry dragonfly The sentry dragonfly is an exotic that established itself on the North Island in the mid-1930s and has now been seen as far south as Christchurch. It has a dark body with a metallic sheen and brown to yellow markings. Sentry dragonflies like ponds and lakes with plenty of plant cover, and are a common species in New Zealand. You’ll find them in forest clearings, flooded areas near rivers and even hovering over temporary roadside puddles.