A peaceful Saturday afternoon at Misquamicut State Beach in Rhode Island, USA, turned chaotic when a swarm of dragonflies suddenly appeared, sending people running for cover under their tents and towels.
Videos from the beach show sunbathers relaxing before the dragonflies arrived, filling the crowded area. Screams and shouts can be heard as the insects fly past. People were seen taking shelter from the swarm.
Dragonflies invade Rhoad Island pic.twitter.com/HMPwRFonzi
July 29, 2024Michael Grover, who filmed the event, called it a "dragonfly apocalypse". Experts say dragonflies migrate from July to October, moving south from Canada and the northern US to Mexico and the Gulf Coast. They often stop to feed during their journey, which can take several weeks, according to foxweather.com.
Some witnesses described the event as an "invasion" and compared it to a Biblical plague, according to a local television channel. While some people laughed at the sight, others screamed or tried to swat the bugs away with shovels and water pails.
A visitor named Mark Stickney said he was amazed by the number of dragonflies, estimating there were tens of thousands. Another visitor, Helene Dombrowski, and her family saw the swarm as a "black blob" moving towards them over the water.
Dragonfly migrations are common in North America during late summer and early autumn. These swarms form when dragonflies gather for breeding or to feed on smaller insects disturbed by weather or human activity. Despite their large numbers, dragonflies are not dangerous to humans and mainly eat mosquitoes and flies.
"I bet not one single mosquito remained in the state of Rhode Island," a netizen commented.
I bet not one single mosquito remained in the state of Rhode Island
July 29, 2024Another said, "Breakout populations are never a good sign. Frogs and certain kinds of fish eat dragonfly larvae; look for a drop in the numbers of one or the other, or both."
Break out populations are never a good sign. Frogs and certain kinds of fish consume dragonfly larvae; look for a crash in the populations of one or the other, or both.
July 29, 2024Another added, "Fun fact. Dragonflies have the highest success rate of all predators coming in at 98%"
Fun fact.
July 29, 2024
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