All-New Book of Amazing Facts, Vol. 2

12 Among the fastest of all insects, dragonflies have been clocked at more than 25 mph. Fossil records also tell us that before the worldwide flood of Genesis, some dragonflies had wingspans of about 30 inches. And they’re strong too! About half of their body mass is devoted to flight muscles, giving them the ability to lift more than twice their bodyweight—a feat that no manmade aircraft has ever come close to matching. Dragonflies can take off backward, accelerate quickly, and then stop in an instant. They can also execute an unbanked turn as if on a pivot, somersault in the heat of combat, and fly virtually any maneuver using seemingly endless combinations of their four wings. Using wind tunnels, the U.S. Air Force has studied the amazing flight versatility of dragonflies hoping to uncover the secret to their incredible aerodynamic abilities. Not only can the dragonfly outmaneuver anything else on wings, it can see better too. Its wrap-around compound eyes contain more than 30,000 lenses, providing a 360-degree field of view. Dragonflies catch their prey with their feet, and they are so skillful at hunting that they catch nearly 95 percent of their prey. Yet the extraordinary flight and sight of dragonflies is nothing compared to the spectacular powers of the ministering angels God created. “He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11). Dragonflies Extraordinary Flight Animals & Biology