damsel fly bites!

Ryan Mooney

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The Gorge Area, Oregon
Well that's something new. I've seen them around quite a bit before and appreciate the work they do as far as keeping the other boogs down but one of the little fellows got smacked tonight when it bit me! Was kind of surprised and thought it was interesting.

I didn't even know they'd bite but they will - apparently they are usually attracted to some sort of scent like floral perfume or something like that. I sure didn't have any of that on, but I kind of wonder if something in the clipper cooling spray I was using on the dog clippers attracted them. Took quite a while to figure out what it was because "damsel flies don't bite", but the awful smell of the one I smacked gave it away.

On the up side there's quite the swarm out there so hopefully they'll do a number on the aphids! :thumb: Kind of felt bad about smacking the little fellow afterwards - would have done a lot more good if I'd just shoo'd it off.
 
I think that we call them dragon flys up here. It's too early in the season for them now but when a few start flying around the other bugs clear out pretty fast.
My grand daughter thinks its fun to have them sit on her hand. I was always told that they don't bite.
 
Damsel Fly vs. Dragon Fly vs. Dobson Fly So confusing! :huh:

The Dragon Fly can be "pretty" given its different colors. Have seen, black, blue, green & red dragon flies. Never heard of one biting. I imagine you must have felt that! :pullhair::pullhair::pullhair:.

Hellgrammites bite/pinch & turn into Dragon flies & Dobson flies, not sure about Damsel flies. Either way, Hellgrammites are good bait for trout, bass, etc.

Damsel fly vs. Dragon fly: http://thedragonflywoman.com/?s=hellgrammite http://thedragonflywoman.com/2009/07/24/dragonvsdamselsadults/

Dobson fly: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/dobsonfly.htm

Hellgrammite:http://thedragonflywoman.com/2010/12/01/hellgrammites/
 
Never heard of one biting. I imagine you must have felt that! :pullhair::pullhair::pullhair:.

hah, it wasn't that hard but I spent a while trying to figure out what the heck it was since I didn't think they bit either. I figured maybe there was some new mutant species coming down river from Hanford.

Some more on the differentiation: http://insects.about.com/od/identifyaninsect/a/dragonordamsel.htm

The ones we had flying around last night where pretty small (maybe 3/4" of an inch), bright green but not irridescent at all. If they'd been irridescent it would probably have helped with the id some.

Some more reading and its possible that she thought I was a sexy log and was trying to lay her eggs in my arm:
http://nwdragonflier.blogspot.com/2010/12/do-dragonflies-bite-or-sting.html
 
This dragon/damsel/Dobson fly laughs at the rumors that it doesn't bite.

Happy%20Bug%20800.jpg


The funny nose and happy smile are just to lull you into a false sense of security. Then, when you're not looking...bam! It eats your face off! :rofl:
 
Dragonflies are called demoiselles in French, which means (ta-daa!) damsels, as in mademoiselle which, as every schoolboy knows, means "Miss" in French. I'm not sure they are all the same, though, as there seem to be a lot of long-bodied bugs with wide wings. My Canadian hometown of Welland used to get plastered with Mayflies (we called them) about one out of three years. Same sort of bug. Ask a fly fisher, they could probably tell you more.
 
They can be quite large here in Spain, about 5 inches wingspan, usually green or blue and some red ones that are smaller. Never heard of them bitting.
 
hah, it wasn't that hard but I spent a while trying to figure out what the heck it was since I didn't think they bit either. I figured maybe there was some new mutant species coming down river from Hanford. ................................................................................................................

Some more reading and its possible that she thought I was a sexy log and was trying to lay her eggs in my arm:
http://nwdragonflier.blogspot.com/2010/12/do-dragonflies-bite-or-sting.html

So Ryan, are you saying you had a sexual relationship with a Damsel Fly? :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
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