Before the age of the internet, computer games, and gaming consoles, kids would play outdoors. When I lived in China as a child, I remember trying to catch dragonflies with my friends; it was impossibly difficult. We would run around in the fields and spend hours in vain trying to catch these elusive insects. Show  As it turns out, dragonflies have four wings instead of the conventional two wings that other flying animals have. These wings allow the dragonfly to hover and accelerate in any direction they wish. They can fly up, down, forwards, and even backwards. This makes them highly maneuverable, as I had the first hand account of experiencing. Each wing has its own muscles allowing each individual wing to change its stroke frequency, amplitude, phase, and angle of attack. The front wings beat down while the back wings make an upbeat. The wings can lock horizontally, a function the dragonfly uses when it glides or rests. Each individual wing of the dragonfly is a work of art. The wings blend flexibility and strength flawlessly together. Dragonfly wings have seemingly arbitrary shapes but these shapes serve different purposes. For example, the quadrilaterals on the wings are the rigid, strong parts of the wing that do not move much. The hexagonal shapes on the wing are the flexible parts of the wing that are likely to bend and sway in the wind. That is really cool. The tips of the wings have counterbalances or stabilizers that aid its flight. Dragonflies have a peculiar flight motion that is very different from other flying animals as observed by Cornell Professor Z. Jane Wang. Unlike other flying animals whose wings engage in a back-and-forth stroke, dragonflies push their wings downward and backwards and then upward and forwards. Instead of trying to overcome drag, the dragonfly actually uses drag to help it stay aloft. The asymmetrical flapping of its wings causes the down stroke to create drag which supports the weight of the dragonfly. Another aspect of the asymmetrical flapping is that it helps the dragonfly conserve energy. When the wings beat out of phase, the back wing creates an induced flow that reduces the drag on the front wings. When the dragonfly flaps it’s wings, it creates tiny whirlwinds under them. That is also really cool. Dragonflies are a 300 million year old species belonging to the order Odonata. The largest recorded insect in the world was a dragonfly with a wingspan of three feet. Luckily, this particular dragonfly existed before the age of the dinosaurs. There are over 500,000 species of dragonflies worldwide, each very different from one another. Dragonflies live in a variety of habitats ranging from bogs to ponds to wetlands. With their wings, their compound eyes which contain over 30,000 individual lenses, and their strong and scissor-like mandibles, dragonflies are a top predator in the insect world. They have a 97% success rate of hunting insects (Olberg). Their six legs are bundled under their head allowing them to grasp their prey more effectively. In conclusion, dragonflies are really cool insects. Not only are they some of the oldest insects on Earth, they also have fancy wings that make them a top predator in the insect world. Plus, they eat pesky insects like gnats and mosquitoes. And better yet, they can’t hurt us! What’s not to like about dragonflies? Sources:
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Asked by: Alain Bertrand, by email Insects are arthropods and the basic arthropod body type is to have bilaterally symmetrical body segments with a pair of legs on each one. Segments on the most primitive arthropods tended to perform the same functions, but more recent lineages have fused many of the segments together and dedicated those that remain to certain roles. There are some extinct insects (such as the Palaeodictyoptera) that had six wings, but these probably weren't terribly effective fliers. The four-wing model is the first to really crack the problem of flight, and insects that look essentially like modern dragonflies are present in the fossil record at least as far back as 320 million years ago. Some insect orders have subsequently evolved one of their pairs of wings into a protective cover (such as beetles) or reduced them to tiny vestigial balance organs, as in the case of true flies. Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts. AuthorsLuis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes. Why do dragonflies have 2 sets of wings?Dr Usherwood said: "We found that two pairs of wings can allow the dragonfly to produce higher forces, allowing acceleration and climbing, while, if the wings flap with the right timing, the lower wings are able to reduce the energy wasted."
How many pairs of wings does a dragonfly have?Both dragonflies and damselflies have two pairs of wings. These wings are thin and sheer, with small veins that crisscross to add strength. Dragonflies can beat their wings together or individually. Like a helicopter, this lets them turn in mid-air, hover, and fly backward.
Do dragonflies have extra wings?As it turns out, dragonflies have four wings instead of the conventional two wings that other flying animals have. These wings allow the dragonfly to hover and accelerate in any direction they wish. They can fly up, down, forwards, and even backwards.
Do dragonflies have four wings?Summary: Dragonflies can easily right themselves and maneuver tight turns while flying. Each of their four wings is controlled by separate muscles, giving them exquisite control over their flight.
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Does a dragonfly have 2 sets of wings
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