Cherokee Clubtail is not your latest hot spot night club, or a new drink that energizes you. It is a dragonfly, and it needs our help. Why should anyone be concerned about a bug? Well, there are some focusing issues with our endangered species lists from the U. S. Department of Wildlife.
There are more endangered species than mammals or birds, but they get all the attention from the public. First of all, it was set up that way intentionally because most people like mammals and birds. They make great stuffed toys, great media advertising, and it is something you would pay to go see. Caring about dragonflies, insects, arachnids, or beetles is a hard sell, but many vital species to our ecosystem are in danger of extinction. There are many of these animals beginning to show up on the lists.
Still don’t care? Time for a short lesson on environmental science. Bugs feed mammals and birds directly and indirectly. Lose too many bugs in critical places,and you will lose most of your mammals and birds probably in one human generation. Less food for humans. Not good for your children or grandchildren.
The Cherokee Clubtail is a dragonfly found across the United States. That is one big habitat. Dragonflies eat mostly mosquitoes, and flies. They are eaten by fish and birds, who are in turn eaten by mammals. These insects start life as eggs and larvae in our rivers, ponds, and streams. Dragonflies are critical for healthy aquatic and land habitats. Cherokee Clubtails, unfortunately, are disappearing rapidly, which makes them an indicator species of something going on in our habitats. They are not the only dragonflies disappearing. Scientist are not sure why this particular insect is declining. They can attribute some decline to the draining of wetlands and swamps. What it means is the problem is complex, and its root cause hidden.
The question is more mosquitoes or flies? Or more dragonflies? Your choice.