226 INSECTS 
Dragon Flies or darning-needles always attract our at- 
tention on account of their long, slender body, their four 
long, narrow, gauzy wings ‘always spread out horizontally, 
and their large bulging eyes. They are excellent fliers 
and spend much of their time on the wing in pursuit of in- 
sects of which they devour large numbers. It is for this 
‘reason that the name dragon 
is applied to them and that 
they are also called mos- 
quito hawks. 
The early life of the dragon 
fly is very interesting. The 
eggs are laid in the water, 
where the young live until 
the adult is ready to appear. 
There is no separate pupa 
stage, but the creature is 
active all the time, preys 
upon all other insects it can 
find, and finally, when ready 
to change to the adult, 
crawls out of the water, the 
skin bursts open along the 
back, and the winged form 
: ‘ ; . comes forth. 
The young, wingless insect is seen in : 
the water at a, the adult dragon fly is Galls and Gall Insects. — 
on the wing above the water, and the We often see on the leaves, 
skin from which the adult escaped is on 
the plant just above the water. stems, and roots of many 
kinds of plants, peculiar 
growths or swellings, termed galls or gallnuts. These tell an 
interesting story of certain insects and their relation to plants. 
The galls on the stems of goldenrods, at the tips of some 
Lire History oF THE Dracon Fiy 
