Giant Dragonflies! From Prehistoric Times

When it comes to insects now days, most people think about the teeny tiny little insects that are on this earth today that are the pests that people cannot stand. But did you know that they were not always so tiny?

That is right there were some giant insects alive during the Prehistoric Times that probably would have made you think about swatting them out of the way, or for that matter trying to find a bigger fly swatter to try and kill them ! Or in some cases it may even just stop you all together, because the sight of the giant insects. It is not something that most would know how to react if they saw a giant dragonfly flying across a lake or have one flying around your camp site during summer with your family.

There were several giant insects that scientists have documented over the years and have found fossils of them to back up their hypothesis on these large creatures. One of the many giant insects that they have found more evidence of their existence is the Meganeura, or what we would call now days is a â??Dragonflyâ? except this dragonfly was not like the dragon fly we have today by any means. Back in the Prehistoric times the Meganeura was one of the biggest insects of the time period. The Meganeura had a wingspan of 2.1 ft. long, and because of the rock castings that the scientists have they also know that the wings of the Meganeura actually had veins in the wings. Scientists speculate that their diet would have consisted of other insects and small amphibians that is right amphibians. How many dragonflies do you think it would take now to have a dragonfly eat an amphibian such as a frog if that was there diet anymore? The Meganeura started out on top of the food chain and as the years went on they slowly began to die off because of two major reasons, one was because of the lack of oxygen in the air and the other reason is because of animals killing them off and eating to survive. Some would say that it is truly the survival of the fittest. However others would say that it was pure evolution over time. But everyone has their own opinion on how they have changed over time.

It seems that as the time and the earth has changed and so did the large insects of the Prehistoric Times like the Meganeura. However could you imagine if the Meganeura had not changed over time into the t dragonfly that we have today and stayed one of the largest insects on the planet you can be rest assured that we would not have some of the insects and amphibianâ??s that we have today. Not to mention if their diet were to change over time as well. So knowing what you know now what would you think if this Prehistoric insect were to be alive today?

Image courtesy of Wikipedia