THE BUZZING might become "alarming" up close, especially when a flight of dragonflies are nearby, but The Courier's nature expert says these creatures are primeval friends, not foe.
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And dragonflies are out in force across the region.
The Courier Nature Notes writer Roger Thomas said one key factor attracting dragonflies to the area was mosquitoes - one of their major food sources.
"We should be happy they're here," Mr Thomas said. "They don't sting or bite humans and they eat lots of mosquitoes.
"They're certainly a sign of healthy waterways. As nymphs, dragonflies live in the water and won't live in polluted water."
The dragonfly rise comes as Grampians Health continues to warn people to take preventative measures against mosquito-borne diseases this summer with so many mosquitoes out in force.
Grampians Health has warned about dangers in homemade, chemical mosquito repellents after a notable increase in the remedies. Instead, Grampians Health Public Health Unit has encouraged approved and highly regulated commercial repellents and preventative measures to lower exposure.
Dragonflies can eat hundreds of mosquitoes each day, according to Smithsonian Magazine, and are renowned as efficient hunters, typically catching prey with their feet.
Mr Thomas said dragonflies were impressive creatures. They were alert and could see with 360-degree vision because of such large eyes.
Dragonflies were also agile in the air, able to fly straight up and down, zig-zag, backwards and hover like a helicopter. They also eat and mate while on the fly.
In flight, some dragonflies can reach speeds of 70km/h.
Dragonflies were some of the first winged insects to evolve 300 million years ago. Fossil dragonflies have been found with wingspans of about 60 centimetres, Smithsonian Magazine reports.
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Mr Thomas said the wet spring we have had in the region would have promoted a huge hatching and it was also likely there were second generation dragonflies about.
He urged people to encourage and look after the creatures.
Victoria's first case of mosquito-borne disease Japanese encephalitis was reported last week. This is on top of a swell in Ross River virus and Barmah Forest fever, which were also common in popular holiday destinations for Ballarat residents: the Surf Coast, Bellarine Peninsula and along the Murray River.
Reactions can be rare but all can present with fever-like symptoms that can have lingering and debilitating effects.
- More details about dragonfly activity in Ballarat will feature in Roger Thomas' Nature Notes column in The Courier on Friday.
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