Steven Ostrom, Monmouth Beach School
Monmouth County
Second Place, Monmouth County, Harpoon Clubtail Dragonfly (c) Steven Ostrom
The Harpoon Clubtail Dragonfly
If you are hiking in the forest inSussexCountyinNew Jerseyand you see a dragonfly that has a brown thorax, black body with gray-green spots and a tail that looks like its tail has two tiny spikes, you have spotted me. I am the harpoon clubtail dragonfly, a threatened wildlife species inNew Jersey. If you are looking for me inNew Jersey; you should look inSussexCounty, because that is the only place I live. We spend a lot of time burrowing and only live in the ridges and valleys ofSussex. I think people take interest in me because I am very majestic, but I think people mainly like me because my tail looks like a harpoon. That is how I got my name.
Nymphs, or babies, eat small fish and tadpoles. Adults eat moths, mosquitoes, and flies.
We mainly reproduce in May to early June. After mating, the females lay their eggs on the water's surface, and the eggs are carried downstream. They are taken to small pools where the larvae are born.
I want people to know that my species is threatened, and I deserve just as much protection as the animals that are endangered. We are rare and we have a limited suitable habitat. We deserve respect, too. Some endangered species get so much respect just because they are adorable, just like the Giant panda inChina. Now, some animals that are on the brink of extinction could be ugly, and just because they are doesn't mean they don't need help to keep them alive. My family might not be the prettiest or cutest, but we still need protection.
We need protection for many reasons. One reason is because without us, the population of flies and frogs and mosquitoes would go up, and we all know that people don't like being bit by flies and mosquitoes. A lot of people like us dragonflies. We are very majestic and fascinating creatures. We should be protected because people enjoy seeing us while fishing or hiking.
To protect us, you could build a dragonfly shelter or a sanctuary for us so we don't get killed. Also, you could catch us and keep us inside in a shelter until we die of old age or just put up signs telling people not to kill us. Of course, we would still get killed by birds or natural causes, but, it would be nice to put up signs. You should help us, and if you don't, we might become endangered or even extinct. Like I said before, we deserve as much respect as any other animal. We need a lot of help, so please protect my species!
Written By: Steven Ostrom
Monmouth Beach School, Monmouth Beach, NJ
Teacher: Ms. Jones