09/06/2026
THE DRAGONFLIES FILLING YOUR YARD THIS FALL MAY BE TRAVELERS.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Some dragonflies migrate hundreds of miles — and one species, the globe skimmer, can be part of a journey spanning thousands of miles.
• Green darners migrate between Mexico, the southern U.S., Canada and back in a multigenerational relay.
• One tracked green darner traveled nearly 100 miles in a single day.
• They don't need to be traveling in one giant swarm to be migrating.
• Dragonflies have been around for roughly 300 million years — long before birds appeared.
• Their ancestors were among the earliest flying insects.
• And the dragonflies suddenly appearing around ponds, wetlands and yards may be part of a much bigger seasonal movement.
YOU'RE NOT JUST WATCHING DRAGONFLIES.
YOU MAY BE WATCHING AN ANCIENT MIGRATION IN MOTION. 🪽
Caption
You may look out over your yard this fall and see dozens of dragonflies suddenly appearing.
It can look random.
But some of them may be travelers.
Certain dragonflies undertake remarkable migrations, including the green darner's multigenerational journey across North America. Others travel even farther—the globe skimmer has been documented as part of a migration spanning more than 11,000 miles across generations.
And here's the part that gets me:
Dragonflies have been flying through Earth's skies for about 300 million years.
Long before birds.
Long before humans.
Long before most of the landscape we recognize today.
So the next time your yard suddenly fills with dragonflies, don't just watch them.
Look up.
You might be watching a journey that began long before we were here. 🪽🌅
Have you noticed more dragonflies than usual this year? 👇
