What Is a Dragonfly’s Habitat?

Dragonflies thrive in freshwater environments, and they live in temperate, tropical and terrestrial locations. Immature dragonflies are born in bodies of freshwater, and they require nutrients derived exclusively from freshwater sources to survive. Upon maturing, however, adult dragonflies gravitate towards land, but still require adjacent bodies of freshwater for food and sustenance.

Dragonflies reside primarily near bodies of freshwater (such as small streams and ponds) that do not contain fish. However, they may also appear in shallow freshwater habitats and take up residence along adjacent shorelines. Dragonflies do not migrate, but they leave on daily excursions to hunt in fields, meadows and other open areas that are void of thick trees and vision-impairing vegetation.