Dragonfly, damselfly count dips after extreme weather

The overall dragonfly and damselfly count in the seven biodiversity parks in the Capital has dipped marginally when compared to last year, a three-day survey carried out by the Delhi Development Authority's biodiversity programme has revealed. According to the survey, a combination of extreme weather events like surplus rain in the first half leading to floods in the city followed by a deficient second half of the southwest monsoon may have impacted the breeding cycle of the insects and subsequently their count.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

The survey was conducted from October 5-7 and found that the Kamala Nehru Biodiversity Park in north Delhi had the highest number of species (25), followed by 21 species at Yamuna Biodiversity Park in north Delhi. However, the species count dipped in four of the seven parks in Delhi.

Faiyaz Khudsar, scientist-incharge, DDA biodiversity parks programme, said extreme weather patterns appear to be causing a distribution range shift and suitable habitats were shrinking for these insects, which form a part of the "odonata" family. Odonatas are characterised by large round heads, compound eyes, two pairs of long, transparent wings and elongated abdomens.