A Small Backyard Pond Sustains a Community of Dragonflies and Other Insects

The small reflecting pond that has brought the dragonflies.

I'm looking out my front window into the late afternoon.   Light glistens off the wings of dragonflies--a wonder we never had on our property until I decided to put a small pond at the back of the house.  I never imagined that one little act would forever change the environment of our property, but it has.

I've loved dragonflies since I was a child.  I spent my summers with my dad, who lived in Reno, and we often went camping at Eagle Lake in northern California.  My siblings and I would spend hours out on the lake drifting around in a big, orange inflatable canoe.  Close in to the swampy, grassy shores, bright blue dragonflies buzzed brilliantly metallic in the sun.  I loved just lying on my back in the boat and looking up into the eternal blue, waiting for a flash of color to zip by.

I have seen a couple metallic blue dragonflies here, as well as orange and green ones; overall they're not as flashy as at Eagle Lake, but they are still amazing.

Dragonflies, which evolved over 300 million years ago, were one of the first winged insects.  Their two sets of wings move independently, allowing them to maneuver with ease.  They also have huge eyes that allow them to see in every direction except behind them.

I've wondered why I haven't had many mosquito problems this year.  I do have one goldfish in my pond to eat the larvae, but as we are near two creeks and and three irrigation ponds, that really didn't explain things.

But the explosion of dragonflies that has occurred because of my pond may.  Dragonflies eat mosquitoes and other small insects.

Unfortunately, any dragonfly eggs laid in the pond will not survive as dragonflies must have a permanent water source for reproduction.  I assume they are coming from the county irrigation pond, which is just across the field.  If that is the case, the draw of my little pond is probably not doing too much harm to the natural population, and dragonflies are not only beautiful, but they are a natural insecticide for mosquitoes.

My pond also attracts great black wasps (digger wasps), butterflies, and toads, as well as larger animals, such as wild turkey, deer and coyotes.

But, it is the dragonflies, which I never saw on our property as a child, that are a new wonder that can be counted on daily throughout the summer--and not just around the pond.  Their flying range is such that they have livened up at least an acre of our land.

The below demonstration pond is not very attractive, but the steps are clear, and it really is as easy as it looks.  The abundance of new wildlife the pond will bring into your yard will make the small cost and labor so worth while.

I do have a fountain on my pond for show, but as long as you have a goldfish or two to eat mosquito larvae,
a pump and fountain is not necessary.   Last year, I only ran the pump a couple of times.