The public went for a walk in the Dahl Forest July 20 as Ed Poropat, a local field naturalist, taught them about dragonflies and damselflies.
It was part of the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust’s discovery days series. The tour and walk started on Geeza Road, where the entrance to the forest is located, and went into the forest for a discussion on conservation, protection and the life of dragonflies and damselflies.
People got up close and personal with the insects in the forest. Their contribution to the ecological landscape was discussed, as there are over 100 different species in Haliburton County.
Poropat said, “we think of them as creatures of the air, but they spend most of their lives underwater as nymphs in larval form, and they’re voracious predators.
They’ll eat anything that they can catch, up to tadpoles and even small fish.” He added, “they’re incredible predators.
When you think of the flies that are buzzing right now, and all the mosquitoes and blackflies, they are incredible, 95 per cent efficiency in predatory kill, as compared to some other animals, like falcons and lions, they may only have 20 to 30 per cent efficiency in hunting. So, they’re really amazing.”
