Hello, I'm an expert in entomology, the study of insects. When it comes to dragonflies, they are fascinating creatures that belong to the order Odonata, which also includes damselflies. Let's address your question about whether dragonflies bite or sting humans.

Dragonflies are not known to bite or sting humans. They have a diet that primarily consists of other insects, and they catch these prey mid-flight using their specialized, strong jaws called mandibles. These mandibles are designed for capturing and holding onto insects, not for biting humans. Additionally, dragonflies do not possess stingers like some other insects such as bees or wasps.

However, it's important to note that if you were to handle a dragonfly, you might get injured by the ovipositor, which is a structure at the end of the abdomen used by female dragonflies to lay eggs. The ovipositor can be quite sharp and may cause a scratch if not handled carefully, but this is not a bite or sting.

In summary, dragonflies do not bite or sting humans, but their mandibles and ovipositor can cause minor injuries if mishandled.

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YES, if you catch one and hold it in your hand and carelessly allow its mandibles to reach your skin, it will bite as hard as it can in self defense. Very few dragonflies can even break the skin, but some of the big ones can do so and may induce an ��ouch��.read more >>