Festival Focuses on Colorful Pond Residents
A flame skimmer at the Botanic Garden. Photo courtesy of ABQ BioPark.
New Mexico has well over 100 species of dragonflies, and dozens of them can be seen at the Botanic Garden's annual Dragonfly Festival on July 14 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Join us to find out about this buzzing beast's life cycle, habitat, food and impact on humans. See wild dragonflies up close, make a craft or just hang out by the our nation's only Dragonfly Sanctuary Pond.
Visit Discovery Stations near the Dragonfly Sanctuary Pond to learn about a dragonfly's lifecycle, understand the difference between a dragonfly and damselfly, and more. Come by craft stations to make your very own corn husk dragonfly. You can also practice identifying dragonfly and damselfly species with help from Garden docents.
"We hope guests of all ages will be amazed by these important pond residents," said Kathryn Venzor, BioPark Education Manager. "Dragonflies are not only delightful to observe but also important to the pond ecosystem as they control pest populations and provide food for other animals."
The Dragonfly Festival is just one of the Summer Discovery Days at the BioPark this season. On select Saturdays and Sundays, visit the Zoo, Aquarium or Botanic Garden to learn more about the plants and animals on exhibit. Each day has a different theme, so you can keep on learning all summer long. Summer Discovery Days, including the Dragonfly Festival, are included with regular admission.
