Comment by michaelbuckbee
7 days ago
We moved into a new home recently that backs up to some woods and there is a stunning number of huge dragonflies in our backyard (and very few mosquitos).
It just seems like luck though, I wish there was a way to better support the dragonflies as they seem so helpful.
The best way to support dragonflies is to dig a small pond (2ft deep with shallow edges) and plant supporting flora in and around it.
Add aquatic plants like water lilies, cattails, or submerged plants like hornwort that provide egg laying sites and habitats for dragon fly nymphs. Around the pond plant native plants like tall grasses, sedges, and wildflowers - dragon flies use these as perches for hunting and resting. They especially like plants that grow 3-4 feet tall. You can also plant tall stakes, bamboo poles, or dead branches around the pound and other water features which the dragonflies use as perches for ambush hunting.
You’ll also want to maintain some algae and organic matter in the pond to provide food for the nymphs. It’ll take a year or two to establish themselves, but once they’re going a single dragonfly can eat up to a hundred mosquitos a day so they’re excellent pest control.