danny
It’s impressive how nature works. It requires no human intervention; it takes care of itself, just like how they naturally control mosquitoes’ population with the help of dragonflies through plants.
The place that I grew up in had a lot of dragonflies, and as a kid, I’d always been mesmerized with the fact that dragonflies play an essential role in keeping the mosquitoes away, including other bugs from our space.
With warmer weather coming in, you’ll see more bugs and mosquitoes visiting your garden or your home, which are not only a risk to our health but also annoying.
So, without having to resort to chemical bug spray, there is a more natural and green approach to it, that is using dragonflies to control mosquitoes.
And if you’re wondering how to attract dragonflies to populate your space? The answer is through plants.
How Does Dragonfly Control Mosquito
Using dragonflies is nature’s way of controlling the population of mosquitoes. The adult dragonflies eat the adult mosquitoes and the dragonflies in their larvae form, “nymphs” eat the mosquito’s larvae.
How To Attract Dragonflies
You can attract dragonflies by growing plants in a diverse disposition. Having enough shrubs and trees around your yard is necessary to provide dragonflies with an environment where they feel safe. And while planting flowers or shrubs, you plant those that will attract butterflies, bees, wasps, etc. that the dragonflies love.
Another effective method on how to attract dragonflies would be by building a small pond with some flat rocks in and around the pond, because dragonflies lay their eggs in or near water areas.
10 Plants That Attract Dragonflies
Some of the plants that attract dragonflies grow on dry land, and some only grow in swamp areas.
Let us first dive into some of the water-dwelling plants.
1. Water Horsetail (Equisetum Fluviatile)
The water horsetail is an underwater, as well as a floating plant. It grows beneath the water surface with their stems stretching out through the water. They grow well under the sun or in a partially shaded area.
The dragonfly larvae, as it reaches their adult phase, use the water horsetail to head towards the surface of the pond.
To successfully grow them, plant the horsetail nursery inside the pond, like 2 inches beneath the soil.
2. Wild Celery (Vallisneria Americana)
The Wild Celery is a plant that is rooted under the ground of the pond, and as it grows, it reaches the water surface. They are accommodating in offering the dragonflies with suitable aquatic habitat. It also acts as a perfect place for the dragonflies to lay their eggs.
While planting them, you need to be mindful of the water level. Which means water level should be 18 inches at the least all the time. And to successfully plant them, there are a few steps to follow- in cheesecloth, place the wild celery tubers along with some stones and mud and carefully place them at the edge of the pond. The rocks and mud should properly hold them in place.
3. Arrowhead (Sagittaria Latifolia)
The arrowhead, also known as duck-potato, is a plant that once planted last for a very long time. They grow underwater and rise at least up to three feet above the water level. They are called arrowheads because of their leaves that are shaped like an arrowhead. They also have small and attractive white flowers with yellow centers. This plant is an excellent hangout place for dragonflies, and it’s a great site for laying their eggs.
Planting the arrowhead is also quite easy. You push the tuber underneath the soil, and in no time, it will reach the surface of the water.
4. Water Lily (Nymphaeaceae)
Water Lilies are another excellent spot for dragonflies to lay their eggs. To plant them, you put the tubers in a pot below the surface using rocks to hold them in place. The plant will quickly grow stems, leaves, and blossoms and float on the water surface.
5. Cattail (Typha)
Cattail grows best in swampy and sun-exposed areas. Dragonflies love to hang out around these plants, and it also serves as an excellent spot for laying eggs. The most effective way to plant them is by using their rhizome, also called the creeping rootstalk. The Cattail is some tough plant, so it’s quite easy to translocate them.
Now let us come to the list of land plants that dragonflies love being around.
These are the land plants that attract dragonflies for mosquito control
6. Meadow Sage (Salvia Marcus)
The Meadow Sage is a perennial plant that grows with beautiful purple flowers attracting insects and butterflies. They grow perfectly in a spot with a balanced exposure of sunlight and shade. The plant doesn’t need much water, a little bit of water a day should be fine.
7. Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium Purpureum)
The Joe Pye Weed plant grows from mid-summer to fall. They have beautiful pinkish purplish flowers. It works as a great attraction for butterflies and bees, which are loved by dragonflies. They can grow up to twelve feet tall.
These plants perfectly grow in partial or full sunlight. They also give a light vanilla scent, which is another reason to love them.
8. White Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)
The White Yarrow is a perennial wildflower with beautiful creamy flowers. The dragonflies love to hang around these plants because they attract butterflies and small parasitic wasps. This plant grows pretty well under the full sun.
9. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias Incarnata)
These are also perennial plants with whitish and pinkish flowers. They attract a lot of wasps, bees, and butterflies. They grow well under the full sun but also require moist land area.
10. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta)
The Black-Eyed Susan is a beautiful bright yellow wildflower that attracts butterflies and a good amount of various pollinators. They survive in a warm climate and last for up to 2 years.
With the help of the above list of plants that attract dragonflies, you can prepare for a pleasant mosquito-free summertime in your backyard.
