Dragonfly Anatomy in 3D: Eyes, Wings, Organs and Exoskeleton
Dragonflies are the aces of the insect world, able to hover, fly backwards and snatch prey out of the air. In the 3D Bug Anatomy simulator you can turn one around, look inside and see its exoskeleton.
Explore in 3DThree ways to see the dragonfly
Whole bug
ExoskeletonDragonfly quick facts
| Animal group | Insect |
|---|---|
| Legs and wings | 6 legs and 4 wings |
| Diet | Flying insects such as flies and midges |
| Young | Nymphs live underwater |
| Eyes | Tens of thousands of tiny lenses each |
The dragonfly exoskeleton
The dragonfly's exoskeleton has a large head almost covered by its eyes, a strong thorax packed with flight muscles and a long slim abdomen. Its four wings are joined straight to the muscles, so each one can move on its own.
Inside the dragonfly
In the Inside view you can tap these labels on the 3D model:
- Compound eyes
- Each huge eye is made of thousands of tiny lenses, so a dragonfly can see almost all the way around.
- Flight muscles
- Muscles attached straight to each wing let all four wings move on their own, so it can hover and fly backwards.
- Gut
- A long tube down the slim tail end that digests the flies and midges it catches in mid air.
Interesting facts about the dragonfly
- Each of its four wings can move on its own, so it can hover, turn in a flash and even fly backwards.
- Its huge eyes are made of tens of thousands of tiny lenses and see almost all the way around.
- Young dragonflies, called nymphs, live underwater, sometimes for years.
- It catches other insects in mid air with its legs.
- Giant relatives of dragonflies, with wings about 70 cm across, lived over 300 million years ago.
More bugs in 3D
Dragonfly anatomy questions
Can dragonflies fly backwards?
Yes. Because each wing moves on its own, a dragonfly can hover, fly backwards and change direction very quickly.
How do dragonflies see?
With two huge compound eyes made of tens of thousands of tiny lenses that see almost all the way around.
Do dragonflies bite?
They catch and eat insects, but they are harmless to people.
Where do baby dragonflies live?
Underwater in ponds and streams, as nymphs, before they climb out and become adults.
The 3D Bug Anatomy simulator is made by Julian Neagu, a solo founder in London, as part of VisionVix Simulators. It is free to use in the browser on desktop and phone, with no sign-up.