Dragonflies are nothing short of annoying. The way they gather up in numbers and swarm around one’s trees is not a pleasant sight. Truth be told, they aren’t the prettiest-looking creatures either.
If you experience such problems, then stay with me. Because in this article I’ll be giving you tips on how to get rid of dragonflies.
Overview: Dragonfly Extermination
The truth is, dragonflies aren’t dangerous at all, neither to humans or our trees. We just don’t like the sight of them in groups hovering over our yards.
They are helpful, as they feast on insect pests that cause real harm to trees. They also attract birds to your yard, since they serve as meals to these birds.
How To Get Rid Of Dragonflies Completely
There are many ways to get rid of them. Some methods require the use of pesticides, while others don’t.
How you choose to get rid of the dragonflies in your yard is completely up to you. I’m only here to give you the best possible, and most practical options to choose from.
Consider these methods –
Make Your Yard Less Attractive To Them
You don’t have to kill dragonflies, you could just make them uninterested in your yard.
We know dragonflies eat mosquitoes right? Well, get rid of the mosquitoes in your yard and the dragonflies will stop coming.
Since mosquitoes love stagnant water, then all you’ve got to do is make sure your yard has none. Without it, the mosquitoes will have nowhere to breed and they will find a more welcoming yard.
The fewer mosquitoes you have, the fewer dragonflies you will see in your yard.
Besides mosquitoes, dragonflies also eat other insect pests. These pests are a result of poor garden maintenance. What this means is that the better you take care of your garden, the less the occurrence of pests, and a reduced food source for the dragonflies.
A scarcity of food will prompt any living organism to migrate in search of nutrition.
Dry Up The Water
Dragonflies love the water, so if you have a pond or a pool, drying them up could help send them away.
I know what you’re thinking – why should I dry my pool up because of some bugs? You shouldn’t, and I’m not asking you to. However, dragonflies love the water, and the less of it there is, the less of them you’ll see.
Fact!
Introduce Predators
I’m sure the guys who aren’t interested in drying out their pools will be more open to this suggestion. Predators will hunt and eat dragonflies, thereby getting rid of them for you.
Frogs are among the predators that eat dragonflies, so introducing them into your yard can help you get rid of them in a more natural, food-chain manner.
Some fish species also feast on these bugs, so you can also introduce them into a nearby pond, that’s if there’s any.
Catch Dragonflies
If you don’t plan to kill them and you’re up for a little bit of exercise, then doing it the good old-fashioned way may be the best bet.
You can buy a butterfly net from your local accessory store and keep yourself busy by catching as many as you can. You can also make it fun for you and your family by buying several butterfly nets and you all try and catch them together.
This method seems like the most fun, as I expect most kids to enjoy it.
All the running and jumping will provide you with a good cardio workout, while you rid your yard of the dragonflies, all at the same time!
Dragonflies are very fast, so don’t expect them to make it easy for you!
Chlorine
Make sure that the chlorine levels in your pool are of the proper range. You can use chlorine shock to raise it if need be.
If your pool is clean and well maintained, it will look less appealing to dragonflies to lay their eggs. Hence they will find somewhere else to do so.
Crіtісаl Thermal Maximum
This is the temperature range where nymphs cannot respond to stimulation. This causes them to be disoriented and if they continue living in such temperatures, they will eventually end up dead.
Salt Method
If your garden is filled with new plants, then you can dip them in a saltwater solution for about 30 seconds. Dragonflies are repelled by saltwater solutions and they will flee from it.
High-Temperature Mеthоd
Dragonflies can be killed by high temperatures, and while you cannot “tune” nature’s temperature, you can increase the temperature of your swimming pool or outdoor rubber bathtubs.
A pool temperature of 83°F set constantly for a couple of days will be enough to deter them from hanging around your pool area at least.
Pооl Pump And Fіltrаtіоn System
Ensure that your pool pump and filtration are in prime condition and are working perfectly. If they are, then there’s a good chance they’ll catch a lot of dragonfly larvae in the drains.
If the young larvae never get the chance to grow, then it’s only a matter of time before the older homes are gone
Get Rid Of Flat Rocks
Some dragonfly species are attracted to light-colored flat rocks and love being around them.
So if you want to get rid of these dragonflies, then get rid of those flat rocks as well.
You can replace the flat rocks with other types of rocks that don’t catch the dragonfly’s fancy.
Avoiding Having Dragonflies Lay Eggs In Your Yard
This is one of the most effective means of making sure your yard isn’t littered with dragonflies. Having nowhere to lay eggs in your yard means they have to go somewhere else to try.
So how do you stop a dragonfly from laying eggs in your yard? Well, you could start by getting rid of all the standing water. If you have a pool, then you can drain it, that’s if you’re up for the task.
In a case where you don’t have a pool, then check around your yard for containers that may have water in them. If you find any, then there are probably dragonfly eggs in the containers.
You need to throw the content of the container away, as it will serve as a breeding ground for the dragonflies. If the containers are meant to have water in them, then make sure you refill them regularly and ensure that the water is always fresh!
Smash Them Into The Walls
This seems like a brutal means of getting rid of them, but hey, it works!
If you by any chance come across one dragonfly perching on your wall, then creep up slowly behind it and just smack it into the wall.
Smacking items are many for you to choose from. It could be your shoes, a book, a newspaper, or a fly swatter. Any one of them will do.
Keep in mind, however, swatting a dragonfly is effective when you’re dealing with just one. But when they gather up in groups of 10 or more, well this may not be the best approach.
Call A Pest Exterminator
If after all is said and done and you’re not interested in lifting a finger to rid your yard of dragonflies, then the next best move to make is to hire the services of a pest exterminator.
Laziness may not even be the case, it may be that the dragonflies are just too much for you to swat, catch with a net, or be eaten by predatory frogs and birds.
When you have such a large number of dragonflies buzzing uncontrollably all over your yard, then you should give the professionals a call.
Ask them to come over to your place and assess the situation. He or she will be able to determine if the dragonflies can be gotten rid of without killing them or not.
If the pest exterminator doesn’t see the need to kill them, then he/she would most likely employ one of the dragonfly removal methods I’ve suggested in this article.
On the flip side, if the exterminator feels the use of pesticides is the only way, then the dragonflies have to go.
The latter option will be a shame though since dragonflies do not harm humans or plants.
One more thing, hiring a pest exterminator is the most expensive dragonfly removal method in this article. You will have to pay for the services rendered, who knows what they charge these days?
Conclusion
Dragonflies help keep our trees safe from destructive pests since they eat them. They are also non-hazardous to man and plants. However, they could be nuisances around the yard and they don’t look pretty when they are gathered in groups.
This will prompt you to take steps to rid your yard of them.
You can try any of the non-aggressive techniques listed above, or be more extreme if need be. It all depends on your unique situation.
I trust this article on how to get rid of dragonflies has been helpful.