If you think dragonflies are pretty, you might want to think again. While their vibrant colors and unique patterns can be stunning when one flutters across your path, it is a different story when hundreds of them do. That is what happened to beachgoers on Misquamicut Beach in Rhode Island. Watch the insane video in Rhode Island as dragonflies swarm beachgoers.
Dragonflies Swarm Beachgoers In Rhode Island
This picture-perfect day turned into something out of a horror film as dragonflies swarmed beachgoers on Misquamicut Beach in Rhode Island. The NY Post claimed it was "a scene akin to a biblical plague" and we couldn't agree more. These insects came in droves of hundreds and had no qualms with getting close to the beachgoers. While many of them stayed high in the sky, the video also shows many of the dragonflies swooping lower, around the beach, under umbrellas, and in the faces of the beachgoers.
Although some people were brave enough to stay and record the apocalyptic-like scene, many beachgoers took it as a sign to leave the beach. Many scrambled to gather their belongings as they fled the Rhode Island beach while the dragonflies continued to swarm. However, some people were not afraid, and instead stood and enjoyed the spectacle.
Dragonfly Swarms: Are They Common?
Pixabey-Pexels
While this footage may seem alarming, dragonfly swarms are not entirely uncommon. Experts argue that dragonflies may swarm for a variety of reasons. Those reasons could include hunting, migration, and breeding. In regards to migration, Christine Goforth, an aquatic insect expert, discusses how a specific migration may be contributing to the large number of dragonfly swarms. She explains that dragonflies are a migratory species and as a result of that, "you have a whole lot of dragonflies that are on the move right now. And every time they stop flying they need to eat. And so they form big groups wherever there's a lot of little insects in a local area to feed on. And that's why you're starting to get the swarms."
She also states that the large numbers in the swarm are common. She says, "You can get anywhere from a dozen to millions or even billions of dragonflies flying together in these big groups." So it is very possible that these dragonflies swarmed beachgoers because there were lots of little insects around. They were mostly likely on a migration path and stopped for a snack. The good news is that there is a scientific explanation for the otherwise spooky situation.
